Aston Villa are in the in-form team in the Championship and are on course to finish in the top-six as things stand.
Michael Brown has fumed at referee Scott Duncan for giving Aston Villa a penalty during their 2-1 win against Bristol City on Saturday afternoon.
In the game itself, Villa were dominant and should have opened the scoring in the first half when midfielder Conor Hourihane saw his header saved at point-blank range and Albert Adomah missed an open goal.
But upon the restart, Hourihane was adjudged to have been fouled by Jack Hunt when he was backing into him into him in the penalty area following a cross, with the opposition furious at the referee’s decision.
Speaking to EFL on Quest (13/04/2019 at 9:30 pm), former Championship player Brown was critical at the officiating during the game and how costly it can be to teams.
“When you look at it, Hourihane is trying to back in, he falls down and loses balance,” Brown told EFL on Quest. “These are key decisions.
“The officials have got to understand! He’s relying on his body strength, he falls down and handles the ball. It’s never a penalty!”
It was a big game and a big result for Dean Smith’s side who arguably should have scored more goals in the game but opposition keeper Max O’Leary had a brilliant game in between the sticks.
There are four games of the season remaining and Villa are five points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough going into the Easter weekend.
Next Friday, Villa travel to relegation-threatened Bolton knowing three points could potentially see them eight points ahead of the chasing pack if other results go their way.
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