'Too much for Fulham' - Silva criticises 'impossible' VAR calls

Fulham boss Marco Silva said it was "impossible" to understand the video assistant referee decisions that went against his side during Sunday's 3-1 loss at Aston Villa.

The visitors had taken a third-minute lead through Raul Jimenez before then twice having penalty claims denied in the space of a couple of minutes, both involving Josh King.

Aston Villa equalised before half-time through Ollie Watkins before two goals in as many minutes early in the second half by John McGinn and Emi Buendia gave the hosts their first Premier League win of the season.

"Difficult for us - impossible - to understand the VAR decisions today," Silva told BBC Match of the Day.

The Fulham boss added to Sky Sports: "I have watched the moments now and for me, they are incredible. I respect and they will try and explain but we cannot understand.

"It is very difficult for me to say that Martinez is not a penalty. If a player is taken out inside the box, it is a penalty everywhere in the world."

The first incident happened in the 22nd minute, when King went down under the challenge of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez inside the box, but was booked for simulation.

The Premier League Match Centre later explained: "The referee's call of no penalty and yellow card to King for simulation was checked and confirmed by VAR – with King deemed to be going to ground before any contact was made."

Two minutes later King's shot struck the outstretched arm of Matty Cash - again inside the box - but referee Andy Madley waved away appeals for a penalty.

On that decision, the Premier League Match Centre said: "The referee's call of no penalty was checked and confirmed by VAR - with the action from Cash deemed not to be a handball offence, with the arm in a justifiable position."

Footballl's laws are governed by the International Football Association Board (Ifab). In its document outlining the laws as they stand for this season, Law 12 - which covers handball - states that an infringement occurs when a player "touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger".

The law goes on to explain that "a player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player's body movement for that specific situation".

Therefore in this instance, the officials deemed that Cash's arm movement was justifiable for that specific situation.

Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport: "The first one wasn't a penalty but I don't think it was a yellow card either.

"Emi Martinez put him under pressure, King panicked and knocked it around him and then tried to ride the challenge - I don't think anything bad happened.

"With the second one [when Matty Cash blocked King's shot], I thought it was a penalty. His arms are out and there is no doubt that shot is destined for the corner. I don't even know what the rules are to make a decision any more, because I presumed that was a penalty nowadays, but it turns out it's not."

Silva, however, is concerned that such decisions are regularly going against his side.

Following a 2-0 loss to Chelsea on 30 August, Silva said he found it "unbelievable" that they had a goal that would have been the opener ruled out by VAR.

King had the ball in the net in the 22nd minute only for it to be chalked off following a lengthy VAR intervention for a foul by Rodrigo Muniz in the build-up.

In the same game, Fulham also conceded a penalty after Ryan Sessegnon was ruled to have handled a cross. Silva argued that Cash's intervention for Villa on Sunday was similar, but felt the same rules were not applied.

"I want to question them [the officials]," Silva added.

"I would like them to explain how it was in a normal body position, and if it was then OK but I want to ask about Ryan Sessegnon against Chelsea, which was explained how that was a penalty?

"It has been very difficult."