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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side’s <\/b>1-0 loss in the first leg<\/b><\/a> of their Europa League semi-final.<\/b><\/p>\n Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge.<\/p>\n Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action – and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.<\/p>\n Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.<\/p>\n “Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery told TNT Sports. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear. <\/p>\n “And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.<\/p>\n “The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.<\/p>\n “But I watched it back – wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see]. He could break his ankle.<\/p>\n “I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n