NYLAND’S A LUCKY BLEEP
Ref’s faulty watch rescues keeper
There might not have been any fans – or goals – but there was just the sort of controversy that makes the competi- tion such a box office product.
Not that Sheffield United would agree after one of the most bizarre ‘ghost’ goals you’re ever likely to see.
And a decision that could have a big say in what happens at the top and bottom by the end of the season.
After a 100-day break, the Premier League’s big restart was just 41 minutes old when we had our first major on-field talking point.
And it was all down to the goal-line technology not working when Villa keeper Orjan Nyland carried the ball into his own net.
Referee Michael Oliver’s watch didn’t bleep and he waved play on – and by the time VAR might have been called on, a free-kick awarded at the other end meant that passage of play had gone.
That decision ended up costing the Blades a couple of crucial points which would have seen them go above Manchester United into fifth spot.
On the flip side, Villa earned a valuable point in their fight against the drop though it still wasn’t enough to take them out of the bottom three.
Ollie Norwood’s free-kick from out on the left flew towards the far post and when Nyland finally looked to have grabbed it he bumped into team-mate
Kienan Davis on the line and ended up stumbling back into the net.
It was clearly over the line but exactly why Oliver didn’t get a signal from his watch nobody seemed to know.
The controversy took place in the goal at the Holte End where only one seat was ‘occupied’ by the steward’s jacket of Villa boss Dean Smith’s dad Ron, who died of coronavirus last month.
The 79-year-old was a steward at the club for years and his orange coat with the touching ‘RS 79’ message proved a moving tribute. He would no doubt have approved of that – and Mr Oliver’s malfunctioning timepiece.
Ironically, it was the Blades first ‘proper’ attempt on goal, if it can even be called that.
Up to that point, just minutes before half-time, it was Villa who had always looked likeliest to score.
With just five minutes gone Blades keeper Dean Henderson had to move smartly to push away a well-struck firsttime volley from Conor Hourihane.
Davis had been giving the visitors’ defence plenty to think about with his physical presence and really should have put Villa in the lead in the 11th minute when he climbed high at the near post but sent his header off target.
Then John Mcginn flung himself to meet a Jack Grealish free-kick but couldn’t direct it far enough away from Henderson’s reach.
Midway through the first half, with Villa always threatening to break the deadlock, another Hourihane corner proved troublesome but somehow the delivery managed to evade a number of players trying to get the crucial touch to poke it home.
Another Hourihane corner gave United problems and Villa defender Kortney Hause was left holding his head in his hands in disbelief after powering a great headed opportunity wide.
The injustice seemed to spur United on as they came out for the second half.
They stepped up a gear but were still left relying on a brilliant one-handed save from Henderson to deny the impressive Davis, making his first Premier League start, who should have cashed in soon after but missed Anwar El Ghazi’s low cross by a whisker.
It was then Henderson to the rescue again when he made a flying save to push away Mcginn’s fierce shot and it meant Project Restart started with a 0-0 draw – somehow.
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Nyland 6; Konsa 7 (El Mohamady 76), Hause 6, Mings 7, Targett 6; Hourihane 7, Douglas Luiz 7, Mcginn 7 (Nakamba 76); El Ghazi 6 (Trezeguet 70, 5), GREALISH 8, Davis 7 (Samatta 70, 5). Subs: Reina, Taylor, Baston, Jota, Vassilev.
SHEFFIELD UTD (5-3-2): HENDERSON 8; Baldock 6, Basham 7, Egan 6, Robinson 7, Stevens 6; Lundstram 6, Norwood 7, Berge 6 (L Freeman 70, 5); Mcburnie 6 (Mousset 80), Sharp 6 (Mcgoldrick 70, 5). Subs: Moore, Jagielka, K Freeman, Osborn, Clarke, Rodwell.
REFEREE: Michael Oliver 7.