Ross Barkley the hero as Aston Rental property stick on to win at Southampton – The Guardian

This was a video game filled in debate and one that was eventually settled not on the pitch however 70 miles away in a cubbyhole at Stockley Park, where the video assistant referee, Mike Dean, chose versus granting Southampton a relatively outright first-half charge and after that ruled Danny Ings offside to reject the striker an equaliser in interruption time. This time Aston Villa flourished from another grey location of the rulebook, with Ross Barkley’s header showing the distinction at full-time after Ings’s late leveller was prohibited.

When it came down to it, and not for the very first time this season, it was a meticulous assessment: this time Ings’ underarm v Matty Money’s behind. It was tough lines for Southampton however it was the referee Lee Mason’s failure to award a charge prior to Barkley headed in Jack Grealish’s cross that grated with Ralph Hasenhüttl. “The handball was a great save from the gamer, excellent goalkeeping, however it was permitted– it is not even a choice for the VAR,” an annoyed Hasenhüttl stated. “It was a great conserve. It injures quite.”

When it comes to the agonising offside, Hasenhüttl did his finest to raise a smile. The choice was promoted by the VAR after the assistant flagged when Ings prodded in from Ryan Bertrand’s vicious strike, pressed into the course of Ings by the Rental property goalkeeper Emi Martínez. “We cut all our [shirt] sleeves now in the dressing space,” he stated. “Since if Ingsy had, he would have been onside.”

These groups shared 7 objectives when they fulfilled at Rental property Park last month so possibly it was not a surprise that this was another supercharged celebration. The talking point, undoubtedly, was not an amusing clash of comparable high-octane designs however how those stewing over unlimited replays and slow-mos on a myriad of screens pertained to permit Money off without penalty. Ings did remarkably, hoodwinking Douglas Luiz inside package with a beautiful flick prior to laying the ball on for Stuart Armstrong, whose vicious strike plainly struck Money’s left arm.

However Dean ruled versus handball on the basis that the ball initially grazed the Rental property protector’s thigh en path to his arm, a guideline Dean Smith indicated. “The letter of the law is if it deflects off another part of your body then it can’t be provided,” stated the Rental property head coach, who 2 weeks ago fumed at the rulebook in defeat at Manchester City, when Rodri won belongings in an offside position in the accumulation to scoring. “We have actually been on the much better side of some limited choices for a modification, which is good, however it was an undaunted efficiency.”

Smith felt the objective was the informing minute of quality. The previous Southampton left-back Matt Targett released Grealish down the left and the Rental property captain scooped a tasty novice cross into package for Barkley to power in 4 minutes prior to the period. The ball appeared to await the air permanently however Barkley got here undisputed to direct a header into the corner.

Rental Property were not at their finest however Barkley’s header made a 2nd win in 6 league matches. It was an awful success, eked out when John McGinn and Money tossed their bodies on the line, however Rental property have actually now won 10 league video games this season, eclipsing last season’s tally. This Rental property side, nevertheless, are a various monster. Southampton, too, have actually won admirers for their valiancy however are moving after winning simply among their previous 8 league matches, however as Hasenhüttl fasted to mention in midweek, that win came versus the champs. Things might have ended up in a different way had Southampton flourished from a late corner that caused 3 desperate blocks or if Ings dumped the house t-shirt for a vest prior to poking in the rebound.

The crescendo hurt for Southampton, with Rental property unbelievely rejecting Jan Bednarek, Che Adams and after that Jack Stephens prior to those all-too-familiar pesky dotted lines arrived on the side of the visitors. “Simply as well it wasn’t my behind,” tweeted McGinn, trying to see the amusing side.