Amadou Onana’s shot goes wide but Aston Villa take a corner from which Onana scores against West Ham. Graphic offer of ITV Sport.
When match referee Tim Robinson awarded Aston Villa a corner to equalize against Graham Potter’s West Ham side, you’d be forgiven for thinking the referee had momentarily lost his concentration.
As TV replays would show, Amadou Onana’s wayward shot flew wide and out of play and nowhere near a Hammers player could touch it.
Graham Potter should be furious with the diet. Villa
“HOW CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!” ?
The panel weighs in on Villa’s controversial corner…#ITVFootball | #FACup | @IanWright0 pic.twitter.com/ANJomUSpf4
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 10, 2025
There is no VAR in the FA Cup until the fifth round, but it was noted in the commentary that even if the technology had been available to referees, it would not have been used in such a case.
Investigator, Ian Wright, said: “The referee and the assistant are totally messing with this corner (…) I can’t believe the referee, he’s standing there (…) there’s nobody around him, how can he do that wrong” and it is certainly a decision that should have consequences.
Once again questions will be raised about the competence of the officials and how they will be held accountable for such mistakes.
The Chelsea ace could be Graham Potter’s first signing
Up until that point in the game, West Ham had been the better side, and even if you factor in that Villa were pushing a bit more at that point, Onana’s goal was only the second shot on target – in the 71st minute.
Hammers fans, who will still be fired up afterwards Stan Collymore has listed West Ham’s trophy-winning potentialI wouldn’t have had a great journey home from the Midlands.
Out of the FA Cup as soon as possible, the club must now focus on climbing as far into the Premier League as possible.
For this purpose, Graham Potter is set to sign one of his former Chelsea players to bolster West Ham’s defense which has been poor this season.
