Aston Villa Winless Run Continues Against Hull, Forest Fume Over VAR In Spurs Draw

Aston Villa’s poor start to the Premier League season continued earlier today, September 5, with a goalless draw against newly promoted Hull City.

Unai Emery’s side have yet to taste victory in three games, having already suffered defeats to Brighton and Arsenal. The result leaves Villa 17th with a point.

Nicolas Jackson narrowly missed the target with a header from Ian Maatsen’s cross inside two minutes. Ross Barkley, too, failed to hit the mark from inside the penalty area in the 25th minute.

Jackson was brought down as he looked to get on the end of a George Hemmings cross, but Villa’s claim for a penalty just before the interval was dismissed. Referee Michael Oliver rejected the appeal and VAR took no action.

Jackson selected the Villa captain in front of goal but the striker spurned a golden opportunity early in the second half.

Hull almost nicked all three points in the 65th minute when Mohamed Belloumi’s curling effort beat goalkeeper Zion Suzuki but struck the crossbar. Suzuki then made a fine save to deny Mohamed-Ali Cho in the 89th minute to preserve Villa’s point.

Hull move up to second with seven points from their first three games, while Villa are yet to register a win this season.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner was critical of VAR after his side were held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham at the City Ground.

Forest thought they had taken the lead in the 67th minute when Neco Williams bundled the ball into the net after a scramble in the box. Craig Pawson had awarded the goal but VAR Peter Bankes intervened and ruled that Williams had handled the ball before scoring.

“I don’t know if there was enough evidence to reverse the original decision of the referee,” Glasner said.

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“I saw five or six angles and to be fair you can tell from one angle that the ball hit the arm because the shirt moves a little bit but you can’t tell if it’s the ball or [Sandro] Tonali on the goal line,” Glasner said.

I think the VAR can’t get involved when he is guessing. It wasn’t clear.

“We had a briefing at the beginning of the season that this year the threshold for intervention for VAR should be very high and that’s why this is a wrong intervention.

“If it’s not 100 percent clear, go with the call on the field. That is the inconsistency today.

“After the game I said to the referee that I think that was a goal.

The Premier League’s official match center said Williams was judged to have handled the ball immediately before scoring and so the goal was ruled out.

Williams protested the decision, claiming he had not touched the ball.

“It’s a goal,” said the Forest full-back to Sky Sports.

“VAR is there when there is a clear error and for me that is not a clear error. “I’ve seen the images and the replays and at no time did I think I handballed it. I headed it between my arms.

“I knew right away I’d put it down between my arms. That one was beyond me. “Disappointing.