Unai Emery believes Aston Villa could have faced a different ending against Nottingham Forest if James McAtee had been sent off for the challenge that left Ian Maatsen injured.
Villa suffered a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park, with Igor Jesus scoring an 88th-minute winner after Alysson had cancelled out Liam Delap’s opener.
The decisive goal came after Maatsen was forced off following a challenge from McAtee, leaving Villa with only 10 players for the final stages because Emery had already made all five substitutions.
McAtee was shown a yellow card, but Emery felt the incident should have resulted in a red.
Emery questions VAR decision
Speaking after the match, Emery said he had reviewed the incident and believed VAR should have intervened.
“After watching it on TV, I think the VAR referee should call the referee because it’s a clear tackle from behind and for me it should be a red card.”
The Villa boss acknowledged that McAtee did not intend to injure Maatsen, but argued that the nature of the challenge should have led to a different decision.
“Of course, he didn’t want to injure our player. But if we can watch it through the TV, it’s a VAR action, and to call the referee it should be a red card.”
Emery also suggested the match could have developed differently if Forest had been reduced to 10 men as well.
“Maybe finishing with 10 v 10 was different in the match.”
The challenge ultimately had a major impact on the closing stages, with Villa unable to make another substitution and Forest taking advantage of their numerical superiority.
Emery accepts Villa’s second-half performance was poor
Despite his frustration with the refereeing decision, Emery was unwilling to use Maatsen’s injury as an excuse for the defeat.
Villa had levelled the match through Alysson in the 74th minute and appeared capable of pushing for a winner before Maatsen’s injury changed the balance of the game.
However, Emery admitted that his side had not done enough in the second half.
“But it’s not an excuse for how we played in the second half. We played so, so poor, and this is my responsibility.”
Forest had already created several opportunities after Delap put them ahead, while Villa struggled to regain control of the match.
Zion Suzuki made important saves late on, but Igor Jesus eventually found the winner two minutes from the end of normal time.
Forest earn first Villa Park win since 1994
The result was particularly significant for Nottingham Forest.
Igor Jesus’ late goal secured Forest’s first victory at Villa Park since 1994, while Oliver Glasner continued his impressive record against Emery.
The Forest manager has now avoided defeat in all eight meetings against the Spanish coach since arriving in English football in 2023.
Glasner, however, was keen to shift the focus away from his personal record and towards his players.
Glasner praises Forest mentality
When asked about his success against Emery, Glasner joked about the European honours between the two managers.
“I spoke to him before the game and it’s still 5-2 for him, five European trophies to two.”
The Austrian then emphasised that the result was entirely down to his players.
Glasner was particularly impressed by Forest’s response after Alysson’s equaliser, explaining that his team did not settle for a point despite having been pegged back.
He felt the players maintained the belief that they could still win rather than becoming defensive and protecting the draw.
That mentality ultimately paid off when Igor Jesus struck in the 88th minute.
Aston Villa’s difficult start continues
The defeat leaves Villa with just one point and one Premier League goal from their opening four matches.
After a summer of significant squad changes, Emery’s side are still searching for consistency and attacking rhythm.
There were some encouraging moments against Forest, including Alysson’s first goal for the club and the debuts of Johan Manzambi and Ibrahim Mbaye.
But another defeat leaves Villa with considerable work to do.
The Aston Villa News BR verdict
Emery is right to question the McAtee challenge. Losing Maatsen at such a crucial moment, particularly after all five substitutions had already been used, had a clear impact on the closing stages.
However, the manager’s own assessment is equally important.
Villa cannot allow the refereeing decision to become the main explanation for another defeat. Emery admitted that his team were “so, so poor” in the second half, and that is the bigger concern.
Forest created enough chances after taking the lead to suggest Villa were struggling before Maatsen went off. The equaliser gave the hosts renewed hope, but they were unable to build on it.
There are positives to take from Alysson’s goal and the first appearances of Manzambi and Mbaye, but Villa need results quickly.
With only one point from four league matches, the pressure to turn performances into points is growing.
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