Emery: Abraham’s disallowed goal ‘unfair’; Villa to report comment by Brentford staff member

Unai Emery says Tammy Abraham’s disallowed goal was ‘unfair’, and Aston Villa are to report a comment made by Brentford staff member.

Aston Villa fell to a 1-0 at home to Brentford, who took the lead with a first-half goal from Dango Ouattara, shortly after being reduced to 10 men due to Kevin Schade’s red card.

Abraham thought he had levelled on 49 minutes, but following a four-minute VAR check, the goal was disallowed because the ball had gone out of play 19 seconds earlier.

The result means that Villa sit 3rd, and six points off the top four, missing a chance to pressure on Man City and Arsenal who sit above them.

The Athletic also report that they were told by a club source, Villa are planning to make a complaint about alleged disrespectful comments about the club, from a Brentford backroom staff member post-match. The Premier League and Football Association were requested for comment.

“It goes out of play there’s absolutely no doubt about that.”@Carra23 and Ashley young share their thoughts on Aston Villa’s disallowed goal vs Brentford 💭 pic.twitter.com/ID9oEbL9Vr

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 1, 2026

Law 9.1 pic.twitter.com/OHXCz06Xmn

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) February 2, 2026

Emery, said in his post match press conference, per The Athletic: “I think it’s not fair. I think it’s not fair. There are a lot of actions or circumstances like that where small circumstances can can change one goal, maybe (Emery gestures a shirt pull).

“Circumstances like this can happen. But, of course, I accept it. I accept it completely, okay, but for me, it’s not fair, but I accept it.

“I didn’t watch it. I didn’t watch it. But for me, it’s not fair. It’s not fair, but I accept it.

“The referees are so, so demanding in themselves to try to correct everything they are doing, or something they can they can improve. I think, and I know they will do it.

“For me, it’s not fair, but it happened and I must accept. My explanation is, because it’s one action and after a long time it is a different action. And if the assistant referee didn’t see it, we must continue playing.”

Unai Emery says that his side weren’t clinical enough against Brentford 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/jHlwSrmxC9

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 1, 2026

Emery on Tammy Abraham’s disallowed goal: “For me, it’s not fair, but it happened and I must accept. My explanation is, because it’s one action and after a long time it is a different action. And if the assistant of the referee didn’t see it, we must continue playing.” #AVFC

— Jacob Tanswell (@J_Tanswell) February 1, 2026

#avfc boss Unai Emery on the disallowed goal: “For VAR it is difficult to analyse and so tight as well. I think the problem is the VAR should not be asking in this situation. I accept it but it is not fair.”

— matt maher (@mjmarr_star) February 1, 2026

Unai Emery on Villa’s disallowed goal: “I think it is not fair. The referee is not watching it. Maybe there are a lot of actions and circumstances that can change a goal. I accept it completely. For me it is not fair, but I accept it.”#AVFC

— John Townley (@johntownley11) February 1, 2026

Villa manager Unai Emery said: “We lost a very good opportunity. How we played 90 minutes with the circumstances and how they competed can happen.

“Frustrated, disappointed, but now is the moment I want to get balance in everything we are doing.

“We’ll rest two days now, finish the transfer window tomorrow and hopefully we can continue building the team with the players we have here.

“We don’t have a lot of possibilities to do something. We did everything. It’s completely done I think, the window, for us.”

Brentford’s Keith Andrews said: “It was a defensive masterclass in the second half.

“I look at it with immense pride and satisfaction but I’m not really too surprised because I see it every day in training.

“We had to dig deep, knowing what was to come. They are an elite team and in the title race and they can be deadly.

“To say the performance was pleasing would be an understatement. Just immense pride with what the group produced.”

On Schade’s red card: “They are not robots; they will make mistakes. Kevin knows that and we have no complaints. We’ll deal with it in the next couple of days.

“He’s relieved. He is very grateful to his team-mates for putting in the shift they did.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Unai Emery says Tammy Abraham’s disallowed goal was ‘unfair’, and Aston Villa are to report a comment made by Brentford staff member…

@JayMTDee: Nobody has seen conclusive proof, that’s the whole fucking point.

@AndyBCV: At least he had the decency to say he hasnt seen conclusive proof. It looked out to a lot of us, but none of us have the proof that it was, which means its not clear and obvious so VAR had no right to make a decision.

@B6Nigel: So show me the conclusive angle by which VAR made the decision. VAR is supposed to rule on factual decisions and whilst we can all hold opinions on the matter, VAR should only use fact. Where is the factual measurement the ball was out.

@jendog17: But there is doubt. There is not a single angle that conclusively proves that ball went out which means the goal by the letter of the law literally has to stand. Do you think var go back that far and then spend 5 minutes debating only to rule it out on a guess if it’s city?

@joe_av1: If it takes longer than a minute to check it then it’s not ‘clear and obvious’ and the decision should stand, jokers

@apachevilla: That’s the whole point, can VAR categorically say from the angles it went fully out? NO THEY CANT, therefore clearly cannot say “clear and obvious error” And by time the goal went in there’d been too much time passed… Premier League are as corrupt as fuck!!

@RichardMills113: @Carra23 well there was a considerable amount of doubt about it as it took 5 minutes for the VAR to “deem the ball out of play” if it was a call against your precious Liverpool you’d be spitting mad and do a 30 minute segment on MNF about it. Stop spouting bollocks

@hickmam57: 4 minutes to ‘deem’ it was out. Was it or not. Surely default position for VAR should be on pitch decision. Clear and obvious it wasn’t. No one truly knows so default should be back to onfield decision. Same as cricket. I hate VAR and it’s not because it went against us.

@DRichardcornish: Not a chance in hell Liverpool or United would have had a goal disallowed for that not a chance in hell.

@MarkMallen2: You cannot say it was categorically out, no one can! Hence the goal should stand! Plus if VAR are going that far back in play then I am sorry but football is ruined! VAR should not have intervened and is ruining football! It’s a shocking decision

@JSS2701: @Carra23 would say that. And, it probably is. But, where is the prrof that it DEFINITELY is out? It has to be clear and obvious. There is no clear prrof that ball is over the line. If it was his precious scouse team he’d be screaming from the rooftops.

@onmyshirtson: Disgraceful. Unless there’s a camera angle showing that ball out of play it can’t be given by var. var are not there to guess or assume. We see it on corners every week. Ball doesnt look like it’s on line but technically it’s still in. This is the same. Every week we get cheated.

Was it clear and obvious? Did the evidence clearly contradict the on field decision? pic.twitter.com/z7Atz9OdZ1

— C (@Hayezz_X) February 1, 2026