Premier League Issues Immediate Statement on Aston Villa Controversy Against West Ham

On 26 January at Villa Park, Lucas Digne appeared to swing an elbow at Lucas Paqueta, but officials ruled it did not constitute violent conduct against the Brazilian.

Jacob Ramsey scored the opener for the home side in the Premier League clash, while Graham Potter’s team struggled to create chances due to a lack of strikers.

The Premier League Match Centre stated on X: “The referee’s call of no red card to Digne was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed that his action was not violent conduct.”

Controversy often surrounds Lucas Paqueta, and this match was no exception.

The Brazilian engaged in constant battles with Digne during the first hour, with neither player showing much restraint.

While Paqueta may have exaggerated the incident, Digne did swing his elbow—something that has always been against the rules.

Later, Digne went down theatrically after Paqueta stepped on his toe, letting out a scream that could have been heard back in London.

With Jarrod Bowen recovering from injury, Potter is relying heavily on Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, and others, making any unnecessary punishments a concern.

VAR reviewed the incident but found insufficient grounds to overturn the decision. Now, Paqueta must focus on his performance and help secure crucial points for his team.