'Other countries don't allow it!' - Unai Emery hits out at Premier League officials after controversial Manchester United equaliser leaves Aston Villa furious

The Aston Villa manager cut a dejected figure on the touchline as he watched his side surrender a 4-2 lead in the dying embers of the game. Emery was so convinced that the match had slipped away following the late drama that he retreated to the tunnel before the final whistle had even been blown. His anger was directed at the perceived lack of protection for his goalkeeper, Zion Suzuki, during a frantic final corner that saw Manchester United snatch a point through Patrick Dorgu in the 96th minute of the contest.

Speaking in what was described as an explosive interview after the match, Emery made his feelings clear regarding the physicality allowed in the English top flight. "They score in minute 96, the referee added six minutes. I thought the game was done," Emery told reporters. "Angry? Of course. How is to accept to lose in the last minute with two balls. Is difficult. The corner is adaptation to the Premier League with Suzuki, the pushing. To accept the two late goals is difficult. How we conceded this last goal, it is adaptation for Suzuki. They are pushing and disturbing him. Other countries, they do not permit it. Here, yes."

The flashpoint occurred when United goalkeeper Senne Lammens ventured forward for a corner, seemingly impeding Suzuki as he attempted to claim the delivery. The contact allowed the ball to drop into a dangerous area, where Dorgu was on hand to smash home the leveller. Despite a VAR check for a potential foul, Chris Kavanagh awarded the equaliser, leading to a wave of protests from the Villa players. Suzuki was even booked in the aftermath for his vociferous complaints to the officiating team as the game reached its boiling point.

Emery insisted that while his goalkeeper must learn to deal with the unique demands of English football, the officials must also play their part in ensuring fair play in the six-yard box. "We have to continue analysing and having experiences and trying to avoid situations like we conceded," he added. "Am I angry? Not with the players but with the situation. We were winning in the last minute and we lost the chance to have two points more. The last corner, normally, if we were focusing on how the ‘keeper needs protecting, we would defend it. Zion will improve adapting to the Premier League in situations like that. Zion is fantastic how he is performing, but there is still work to do."

The result is a bitter pill to swallow for a Villa side that appeared to have the game won after a dominant spell in the second half. After Alisson Edward and Nicolas Jackson gave them an early cushion, they regained control through a John McGinn penalty and a Leon Goretzka strike. However, the inability to see out the game, punctuated by Joshua Zirkzee’s 92nd-minute goal that made it 4-3, has left Villa sitting 10th in the table after 10 matches.

The dramatic collapse means Villa have now dropped crucial points in their pursuit of European qualification, leaving Emery to reflect on what might have been. The manager’s decision to leave the dugout early highlighted the intensity of the disappointment felt by the visiting camp. Villa will now have to wait until after the international break to attempt to get their season back on track, with a home fixture against Sunderland scheduled for November 21.