'Poor' decision by PGMOL to pick Bramall for Villa game - Hackett

Professional Game Match Officials Limited made a "poor guidance decision" successful appointing Thomas Bramall to officiate Aston Villa's conclusion by Manchester United, says erstwhile referees' leader Keith Hackett.

Villa have complained to referees' assemblage PGMOL astir Bramall aft he made a "big mistake" successful their 2-0 conclusion astatine Manchester United connected Sunday that contributed to them missing retired connected nan Champions League.

Bramall blew for a foul erstwhile Morgan Rogers nudged nan shot distant from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir earlier nan Villa midfielder put nan shot successful nan net.

Bramall thought Bayindir had 2 hands connected nan ball, though tv footage suggested otherwise, and because he stopped play earlier nan shot crossed nan line, nan video adjunct referee (VAR) could not intervene.

Villa's title is that "one of nan astir inexperienced referees successful nan Premier League" was appointed to specified an important match.

Bramall, 35, first refereed successful nan Premier League successful August 2022 and his games this play person mostly been successful either nan apical formation aliases nan 2nd tier, pinch 11 successful nan Premier League and 12 successful nan Championship.

Of nan 10 referees appointed for Sunday's last information of nan Premier League, Bramall has officiated nan second-fewest top-flight matches this season, supra Lewis Smith, who took complaint of his seventh crippled successful Bournemouth's triumph complete Leicester.

In a consequence to a Talksport video connected X of erstwhile Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor criticising Bramall's performance, Hackett said PGMOL "do not learn".

The erstwhile Premier League referee added: "Our apical referee Michael Oliver was operating VAR connected a game. What a mediocre guidance decision."

Hackett, who was main of PGMOL nether its erstwhile sanction Professional Game Match Officials Board, besides told Football Insider he "would person expected 1 of our apical officials to person been appointed" to nan Manchester United-Aston Villa match.

He added he was "surprised and disappointed" that Oliver was appointed VAR for Tottenham's conclusion by Brighton and it was "difficult to understand" why he was not picked to referee "a large game" successful Sunday's last round.

Oliver has refereed 26 Premier League matches this season, down only Anthony Taylor - who was successful complaint of Chelsea's triumph astatine Nottingham Forest - connected 31.

PGMOL told BBC Sport it does not remark connected why individual appointments for matches are made.

According to nan PGMOL appointments policy, each lucifer officials must taxable a declaration of interests shape earlier nan commencement of each season.

Match officials, video adjunct referees and adjunct video adjunct referees are only eligible to officiate games that do not impact a nine for which they person a conflict of interest.

This includes clubs they support, person played competitory matches for astatine first-team level aliases clubs from nan aforesaid municipality aliases city, excluding London, wherever nan charismatic lives.

The argumentation besides states officials cannot beryllium progressive successful a lucifer that straight involves a nine "which has a beardown relation pinch a nine for which an liking has been declared".

It is up to PGMOL's discretion to find if a nine has a beardown relation pinch that different club.

PGMOL main refereeing serviceman Howard Webb tin besides alteration nan appointments astatine his disrection.

Given Newcastle mislaid to Everton connected Sunday, if Villa had beaten Manchester United, they would person qualified for nan Champions League successful 5th instead.

Oliver is simply a Newcastle instrumentality truthful could not person taken complaint of nan Everton match.

However, it is unclear if that besides meant he was not appointed to officiate Villa - aliases Manchester City aliases nan Forest-Chelsea lucifer - because those sides were successful nan moving pinch Newcastle for Champions League qualification.

Oliver past took complaint of a Premier League crippled involving Villa erstwhile Unai Emery's broadside hit Chelsea 2-1 successful February.

He is not nan only knowledgeable referee who was not appointed arsenic nan on-field lucifer charismatic for Sunday's last round.

Chris Kavanagh, Simon Hooper, Peter Bankes and Samuel Barrott person each refereed 20 aliases much Premier League matches this play but were not successful nan mediate for immoderate of Sunday's 10 games.

Barrott was nan 4th charismatic for Liverpool's tie pinch Crystal Palace, while Bankes was nan VAR for Chelsea's triumph complete Nottingham Forest.

Former Premier League referee Chris Foy said Bramall's determination was an "unfortunate incident" but that galore referees "would person fixed a foul successful that situation".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club he was "impressed" by Bramall's showing successful Manchester City's 3-1 triumph complete Bournemouth connected 20 May - a lucifer that featured a consecutive reddish paper for each side.

Foy added: "He's been fixed nan [Villa] crippled connected merit, he was worthy of his appointment.

"Unfortunately we're talking astir 1 determination because he made a really bully determination to nonstop nan goalkeeper disconnected and took his clip to springiness nan penalty.

"He was going really good but unluckily we're talking astir this 1 decision."

Former Newcastle and Aston Villa goalkeer Shay Given said Bramall will "learn" and "grow" from this situation.

"Let's not hide Thomas Bramall is simply a quality being," he added.

"I find it much difficult erstwhile VAR pinch each different angles make incorrect decisions. This feline has conscionable made a quality error, it's much forgivable."