Aston Villa boss Lambert stands by referee criticism

Nov 23, 2012 10:30:00 PM

Despite already receiving a one-match ban, the 43-year-old reiterated his displeasure at the "shocking decision" given against his side during their clash with Manchester City.

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has stood by his criticism of the match officials after he was left feeling aggrieved at the penalty decision given against his side when Andreas Weimann was judged to have handled the ball inside the box against Manchester City.

Lambert was fined £8,000 for his comments after the 5-0 defeat and will be made to sit out of Saturday's clash with Arsenal at Villa Park, but he was keen to reiterate his views.

"I still stick by the decision," Lambert told BBC Sport. "It annoyed me."

Replays showed that Weimann had made no contact with the ball but referee John Moss gave the penalty after being alerted by his assistant Adrian Holmes, despite no City player appealing.

He added: "You can't change it, but if you're only about 40 yards away, how can you not see it? Nobody claimed for it.

"It might not have changed the result or whatever but it certainly changed the pattern of the game because we were well in it. The aftermath happens and then you end up getting done for it."

The loss to the Premier League champions saw Villa slump into the relegation zone on goal difference after collecting just nine points from a possible 36 in their opening 12 games.

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