Aston Villa boss Dean Smith dismisses comparisons between Leeds United and Sheffield United controversy

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has dismissed comparisons between Sheffield United's 'ghost goal' and an incident at Elland Road last season.

Villa played out a 0-0 draw with Chris Wilder's Blades in midweek but the game - which signalled the beginning of the Premier League's restart following a three month hiatus - was marred in controversy.

Home goalkeeper Orjan Nyland appeared to carry the ball across the line in the first half from a free-kick but goal-line technology failed to register the effort.

Referee Michael Oliver dismissed the visitors complaints despite replays confirming a goal should have stood with Hawk-Eye later issuing an unreserved apology to Wilder and his team.

Smith's side went on to secure a point in their bid to beat relegation from the top flight but the controversy raised eyebrows in West Yorkshire following Marcelo Bielsa's generous act of fair play last season.

Leeds United's official club twitter account poked fun at the incident after Mateusz Klich - who himself also tweeted - scored against Villa last term when the visitors appeared to stop playing with Jonathan Kodjia down with an apparent injury in the centre circle.

The goal sparked a mass brawl between the two sides with Smith and his backroom staff incensed at the decision to play on by the midfielder.

Amidst the aftermath United boss Bielsa opted to allow their opponents to score unopposed to level up proceedings, an act which would later see the club handed a FIFA Fair Play award.

Smith, though, believes that the two incidents are incomparable after the comparisons were drawn.

“It was totally different,” he told Sky Sports. “Because about five minutes before they scored we had a player down injured and we put the ball out.

“Five minutes later we had a player down injured, our players stopped and they carried on. Their manager rightly thought it was the right thing to do.

“That’s sporting integrity - this is technology, totally different.”

Asked about the technology issue, he said: "We brought it in, there is always going to be human error because we have got referees and officials who are refereeing the games. That’s acceptable.

“This is the first time its happened in 9,000 games for Hawk-Eye to fail. We are very reliant on it, everybody wanted goal-line technology.

“I can honestly say I am stood in the stand and myself and my coaches - and I know Chris Wilder and Alan Knill at the time - we never knew the ball had crossed the line.

“We are reliant on the referees and officials and we are looking at them and they indicated that it hadn’t crossed the line.

“It’s only a couple of minutes later when the analysts all look at the still picture and say ‘Yeah, it’s over the line’ that you actually know it’s gone over there.

“There has been one failure in 9,000. I feel sorry for Sheffield United and I would feel aggrieved it was on the other foot.”