Always drama in the Premier League and once again Aston Villa were in the thick of it during their 1-1 draw against West Ham United on Sunday.
It was a bright start from the away team, Unai Emery played a pretty attacking line-up with John McGinn suspended, but as soon as the home team scored that encouraging start quickly evaporated away.
Before Nicolo Zaniolo could save Aston Villa’s blushes with a 79th-minute equaliser, there was controversy at the end when Tomas Soucek thought he had scored a stoppage-time winner.
After a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled out for handball to the relief of Aston Villa and Michael Owen thinks the correct decision was made, as he told Premier League Productions (17/03/24 at 4:05 pm).
At the full-time whistle, David Moyes was annoyed with that call and he made his feelings pretty clear towards referee Jarred Gillett.
The rules clearly state that if the ball hits your hand or arm as a goalscorer, then the goal should be ruled out.
That proves the correct decision was made here and that’s why Michael Owen thinks the West Ham boss is wrong to be aggrieved.
West Ham United handball
“What an end to the game, talk about drama,” said Owen. “No, he’s not right (Moyes) to be aggrieved is my reply.
“It was a good decision. VAR took their time. Rightly so. Look at the clock, you can’t get this wrong at this stage by rushing it. The main thing is to get the decision right.
“We don’t know what part of the body it hit Bowen. But that was enough to say ‘good decision by VAR’ despite how long it takes – and I think he (Soucek) pulls Konsa in the lead-up.”
Pointed gained
Would we have taken a point before the game? Probably not because of the defeat to Spurs last week and the London club then losing to Fulham on Saturday.
But heading into the last ten minutes, you certainly would have accepted it and we got it.
All of this now means we are three points ahead of fifth-place Spurs with a game in hand and a slightly better goal difference.
That game in hand for Ange Postecoglou’s side is against Chelsea, so it isn’t easy, but how Villa have bounced back after that defeat last week has to be applauded.
