VAR controversially disallows Aston Villa’s opener against Bournemouth – as the Premier League claim ‘factual evidence’ proves the decision was correct

Aston Villa were left outraged by the decision to disallow their goal against Bournemouth after the ball was ruled to have gone out of play in the build up. 

Unai Emery‘s men thought they’d taken the lead in the 30th minute when John McGinn fired into the roof of the net from close range. But a subsequent VAR review chalked off the effort after the ball was ruled to have gone out of play in the build-up. 

Images of the incident showed the call was incredibly tight. Former Premier League referee Mike Dean, having initially believed the ball had stayed in play, conceded that it was too close to call. 

‘It’s very tight, you can’t tell. I wouldn’t like to be in the VAR right now.’ He said on Sky Sports. ‘I’d just go outside to boil the kettle I think.’

He added: ‘It’s more out than in but you don’t know if a tiny bit o the ball has [stayed in]. They’ll have the technology so say if it’s in or out.’

Aston Villa were denied an early lead against Bournemouth on Saturday after a VAR review

The home side’s opener was chalked off by VAR which ruled that the ball had gone out of play in the build up 

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean conceded that the incident was too close to call

The Premier League quickly released a statement on Saturday afternoon explaining the reason for the goal being disallowed. In it, they claim their footage provided ‘factual evidence’ of the whole ball going out of play. 

‘The referee’s call of goal for Aston Villa was checked by the VAR,’ the Premier League Match Centre account wrote on social media. ‘As there was factual evidence that the ball was out of play in the build-up to the goal, the VAR recommended that the goal was disallowed.’

Post-match, Emery accepted the decision and praised referee Chris Kavanagh’s performance.

‘VAR is clear,’ Emery told the BBC.

‘Of course [I accept it], if VAR is telling us it is not a goal, it is clear.

‘For me no doubt [we need technology on the line], but the referee was fantastic today. It was not a goal because the ball was out.

Premier League watchers will be familiar with this debate rearing its head during the last campaign, with both Arsenal and Manchester United at the centre of high-profile adjudications. 

John McGinn thought he had scored his second goal in a week, following his strike against Bologna in the Champions League

Newcastle were beneficiaries of a tight call last season in a 1-0 win against Arsenal in November

The Gunners were incensed by the award of Anthony Gordon’s goal in their 1-0 defeat by Newcastle last November after Joe Willock looked to have failed to keep the ball in play on the touchline seconds before the winning strike. 

Two months earlier, Rasmus Hojlund had been denied his first Premier League goal following a similar passage of play in a home loss to Brighton. 

On Saturday, Villa were finally able to celebrate when Ross Barkley netted his first goal for the club deep into the second-half to put Emery’s side in front.