Unai Emery hits out at VAR after Aston Villa lose to Nottingham Forest

The Villa boss was left bemused by the officiating of a pivotal moment of Saturday’s match.

A frustrated Unai Emery felt Villa were let down by VAR in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest amid fears Ian Maatsen may have suffered a long-term injury.

Igor Jesus scored a late winner for the visitors against a Villa side who were forced to finish with 10 men, after Maatsen was injured by a challenge from Forest midfielder James McAtee.

The latter was shown a yellow card by referee Andy Madley but Emery believes VAR should have intervened and upgraded it to a red.

It proved a decisive moment as Villa played the final minutes a man down, with Emery having already used all five substitutions.

Villa had momentum after Alysson’s first goal for the club had cancelled out Liam Delap’s opener.

Emery said: “After we equalised, it could have changed, but Ian Maatsen was injured.

“We conceded so many chances and they scored and deserved it.

“But after watching it on TV, I think the VAR referee should have called the referee.

“It is a clear tackle behind the player and it should have been a red card.

“It is different. Of course, they deserved it with the way they played in the second half but the VAR referee should have made a decision.

“Of course you can have an injury on the field, like Pau Torres. But in this case it was a tackle.

“The opponent tackled and injured the player. He didn’t want to do it but if we can watch it through the TV it is a VAR action and should be a red card.

“Maybe finishing 10 against 10, maybe it was different in the second half.

“It is not an excuse for how we played in the second half. We played so, so poor.”

Maatsen will undergo a scan on his ankle on Sunday, while Villa also face being without Torres for several weeks after he was withdrawn in the first half.

Emery was left bemused by his team’s second half display after their rough start to the season continued.

The manager revealed he had taken the decision to replace Nicolas Jackson at half-time with the striker running the risk of a second yellow card.

“How we played today, we didn’t deserve more,” said Emery. “We can speak about how we dominated them in the first half, and we should have scored a goal.

“The second half we started poor and after the goal they were better.

“I don’t know why we lost our shape and control. We are usually compact and patient.”