Pochettino says VAR is damaging football after Chelsea denied late winner at Aston Villa

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said VAR is damaging football after watching his team denied a dramatic late winner at Aston Villa on Saturday night.

The Blues fought back from a two-goal deficit at the break to level in the second half and thought they had scored a late winner through an Axel Disasi header. However, a video assistant referee review deemed that Benoit Badiashile had fouled Diego Carlos in the build-up so the points were shared at Villa Park.

"Me and you and everyone in the stadium watching the game, they didn't see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge. The decision was there and that's it," Pochettino told broadcaster TNT following the 2-2 draw.

"The referee is unbelievable and it's ridiculous. It is difficult to accept," Pochettino said. "They didn't see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge.

"It is painful as it has damaged English football. Villa's players and their fans didn't understand why the goal was disallowed.

"For me it damaged a little bit the Premier League. If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision."

Pochettino's side trailed to Marc Cucurella's early own goal and a Morgan Rogers strike before half-time at Villa Park.

Rather than capitulate as they did in Tuesday's humiliating 5-0 loss at Arsenal, Chelsea dug deep to rescue a gritty point thanks to goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher.

It could have been even better than the visitors. From a Cole Palmer corner, Badiashile hooked the ball back into the middle of the penalty area for an unmarked Disasi to head in from close range. However,