Elliot

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 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

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.

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.

Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.

“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.

“And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.

“The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.

“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.

“I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”

Daly, 33, recently agreed a new deal to stay with Saracens until the end of the 2027-28 campaign.

This is the second time he has fractured an arm within the space of 10 months, having suffered the same injury during a warm-up game for the British and Irish Lions last July which ruled him out of the rest of their tour of Australia.

For Onyeama-Christie, 27, this is also the latest in a series of injuries he has had in recent seasons, having twice previously broken his arm and also fracturing and dislocating his ankle.

He has played in 19 games for the London club this campaign and, like Daly, also agreed new terms to extend his stay in February.

Saracens return to Prem action on 19 April away at Sale, with six games of the regular season to go.

They have, however, been boosted by the return of prop Alec Clarey, who has been out since November with injury.

Flanker Max Eke is also “nearing availability for selection” having not featured since February 2025, while fellow back row Toby Knight is also returning to training from a long-term knee injury, a club statement said.

Kelly Cates, Joe Hart and Danny Murphy discuss why Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is “the favourite” to be in the starting XI for England in this summer’s World Cup.

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