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Fulham boss Marco Silva criticises “impossible” VAR decisions during defeat at Aston Villa

Fulham boss Marco Silva criticises “impossible” VAR decisions that went against his side during defeat at Aston Villa.

The first of the two incidents came on the 22nd minute with Josh King being booked for simulation after going down under a challenge from Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the penalty area. VAR confirmed the referee’s decision, stating King fell before contact was made.

The Premier League Match Centre explained: “The referee’s call of no penalty and yellow card to King for simulation was checked and confirmed by VAR – with King deemed to be going to ground before any contact was made.”

Then two minutes later, King’s shot hit Matty Cash’s outstretched arm in the penalty area, but the referee ruled it wasn’t a penalty.

VAR upheld this, deeming Cash’s arm position justifiable and not a handball offence under IFAB’s Law 12, which states a handball occurs if a player’s arm makes their body “unnaturally bigger” in a way not justified by their movement.

On that decision, the Premier League Match Centre said: “The referee’s call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the action from Cash deemed not to be a handball offence, with the arm in a justifiable position.”

Joe Hart said to BBC Sport: “The first one wasn’t a penalty but I don’t think it was a yellow card either.

“Emi Martinez put him under pressure, King panicked and knocked it around him and then tried to ride the challenge – I don’t think anything bad happened.

“With the second one [when Matty Cash blocked King’s shot], I thought it was a penalty. His arms are out and there is no doubt that shot is destined for the corner. I don’t even know what the rules are to make a decision any more, because I presumed that was a penalty nowadays, but it turns out it’s not.”

Fulham manager Marco Silva speaking to Sky Sports: “This is a disappointing result for us and the things we can control we have to do them ourselves. The game was going in the direction we predicted and wanted and we had some very good chances before they equalised. Other good moments from us and then after we concede a goal we shouldn’t, you can’t conceded a goal like this. We have to be much stronger in these types of moments. We didn’t give many spaces inside and we were prepared for that situation and we have to blame ourselves. Congratulations to Villa for the three points but we have to blame ourselves more.”

On Raul Jimenez’s injury: “It was in the moment of the goal, we have fighting in the box. He tried but he was not able to keep going in the game. It was difficult because when you don’t have Raul or Rodrigo (Muniz). Without both it is more difficult and Adama tried. It is not his strong part of the game and we had some problems to link up our game. It is not a excuse, it disrupted our game and with Raul there we will be much stronger. It is not an excuse and we need to blame ourselves much more.”

On the referee decisions that went against his team: “I have watched the moments now and for me, they are incredible. I respect and they will try and explain but we cannot understand. Again this afternoon, we don’t need anyone to educate Josh King. Josh King already has two yellow cards in the Premier League and they disallowed a goal from him. It is very difficult for me to say that Martinez is not a penalty. If a player is taken out inside the box, it is a penalty everywhere in the world. Don’t try to educate Josh King because we can do it inside our football club.

“I want to question them (the officials). I would like them to explain how it was in a normal body position. And if it was then ok but I want to ask about Ryan Sessegnon against Chelsea, which was explained how that was a penalty. It has been very difficult for us and I started the conversations about what we can control. The other things in six games is too much for Fulham Football Club and we cannot control.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports: “Happy and overall we kept the consistency we achieved on Thursday and we started today a little bit under our energy. We conceded one goal and it was again. a very difficult moment but reacted. Winning duels and recovering the ball as high as possible and then we were being aggressive. I think today the result we did come back was through our energy and wishes to come back.”

On Ollie Watkins: “He is very important for the team because he was not scoring goals. We needed goals through Watkins, Buendia and McGinn. Today, with our supporters, we need to connect here and bring the energy. I think our results are bringing balance. We are not where we want to be but this result will hopefully help us get better. How the players are connecting and adapting is important.”

On why he subbed off Harvey Elliott at half-time: “Keep going, for him and I change him more tactically because Emiliano Buendia is giving us energy and his adaptation is better than Elliott. he needs time, Elliott. Emiliano did fantastic.”

On Villa finding form: “We draw three matches away and it was not the worst and as well not the best. I told you we were improving and getting better but we needed to improve things. Today we did it. Of course, now, we are playing in Feyenoord on Thursday and we have the opportunity to get confidence and it is another opportunity and challenge. And then we can keep being consistent at home and keep adding more players in our structures. Sancho was feeling sick before the game so that is why he was not on the bench but he will be important for us. We will add other players in as well with their qualities.”

Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon, speaking to Sky Sports: “We started the game very well then conceded quite a bizarre first goal but going into half-time at 1-1, it’s still a decent result but we kind of just collapsed, to be honest.

“We conceded one straight after half-time which can happen but to concede the next one straightaway was disappointing. The game was pretty much done after that.

“There is no real explanations, it’s just poor defending from us. Quite unusual from us but we have to look back at the game and see where we went wrong.

“It was probably just lack of concentration, it was very bizarre. We have to pick ourselves up and go again.

“Hopefully on Friday against Bournemouth we can put it right.”

Aston Villa captain John McGinn speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Delighted but relieved at the same time. It has been a very poor start to the season. To lose here 3-0 in the last home game was tough to take. We actually started well and then we reacted really well to conceding at the corner.

“It is not an easy place to play when the crowd are on your back but then when you get momentum, what a place it is to play. It was important to show belief and confidence in each other. What a win and what a huge show of character for us.”

On Ollie Watkins’ form: “He has had a lot of criticism in recent weeks but what he will get from us as team-mates and staff is love and support. What he has given us in recent seasons is nothing short of brilliant.

“He always has a spell in the season when it doesn’t quite click for him but he runs a lot and he works hard and then when he gets the ball you expect that he will score. Hopefully that shuts a few people up.”

On Villa’s form: “It can change quickly but we are not getting carried away. We have turned a little corner the last few games but that doesn’t mean anything. It’s about recovering now and then back here next Sunday to try and pick up another win in the league.”

Emery, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “To win is the consequence of how you are building the team, how you are individually and tactically as well, being consistent and being demanding.

“We are getting better. We started [the season] so, so poor but then after the break we draw with Everton, Sunderland and Brentford. We were more or less getting balanced but not enough, performing better but not enough.

“We needed to improve some things, not just tactically, and on Thursday we did that and today as well. We reacted fantastically to conceding the goal. We showed energy, collectively and individually.

“Progressively, we are getting better and those points will hopefully help us to be more consistent for the next matches.”

On slow starts: “We are looking forward and trying to get better at everything. We started poor but I don’t know why. In the first 15 minutes, we conceded one goal and we weren’t playing.

“But it was important how we drew level in the match and started playing to our gameplan. Then in the second half we were really pushing with energy, scored two goals and after we controlled the game.

“Today was very important to try and feel confidence through the result.”

On Ollie Watkins: “Happy winning, happy for the players, happy for goalscoring players, Emi Buendia and John McGinn as well. Happy because we conceded one goal then we defended well.”

On Emi Buendia: “Transfer window finished one month ago. Emiliano is showing his wishes to help us and his quality. Hopefully he is going to be very important, he is playing minutes, getting confidence, understanding tactically how we want to play. Fantastic for him and the team.”

On Tyrone Mings’ injury: “I don’t know. Injured but I don’t know which injuries.”

On building on the win: “Hopefully it can help us and we can keep going. Getting the points like we did helps us to feel confident and we can get better in the table and we have to try to reach the level we achieved last season.”

This is how fans reacted as the Fulham boss Marco Silva criticises “impossible” VAR decisions during defeat at Aston Villa…

@ffcLuca: Another rigged match but we need to get way better at reacting to bad decisions going against us, it’s costing us a lot

@camstutely: Frustrating, very frustrating, didn’t wake up in second half but again game changed due to poor decision by ref and var, similar to chelsea game! Also Samuel > Adama

@bossieffc: Can’t help but feel it would’ve been different had we gotten a penalty. But the second half was piss poor and we rolled over way too easily. Serious lack of quality up top without our strikers.

@JSmithy64: An impressive collapse even by our standards. Pretty unlucky with Raul injury & missed penalty shouts, but some shocking decisions & defending. Andersen in particularly back to his very worst. So frustrating we can never kick on when it matters…

@svntiago19: Typical robbery again. 2 pens? Adama up front doing nothing was a terrible decision as a sub by Marco. He was awful just like against Cambridge. 1st half played well, dominated with king running it all. Ref was against us. 2nd half we had nothing up front. Chuckwueze looked bright

@exitzoostation: Fulham should feel extremely hard done by, things could have been very different had Josh King not been robbed of a penalty Marco Silva putting Traore as the striker didn’t work because he kept coming back too deep & didn’t keep things simple

@FulhamTransfer: FT: I said the game was there to be won. Fulham came out 2nd half and offered very little! Villa knew Adama’s only threat was in behind so they dropped a couple of yards which nullified any threat from him. Marco has questions to answer in regards to not having a striker on the bench… If he had no intention of putting JKA in team then he should have planned to have ALB with the squad. The lack of an out and out striker & some poor defensive errors have played a big part in Fulham losing today. I don’t think we played that badly but it all seemed to change after that penalty decision 🤔. I said this was the chance to show we mean business & we started so well… But ultimately those errors defensively will still cost us. We go again against Bournemouth 💪

@mattjkfarmer: I’m so shocked at this, imagine being 1-0, having a blatant penalty turned down and then the game flips on its head. I can accept losing but not when PGMOL decide to give Villa the game 😅

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