Dean Smith has reacted to Aston Villa's 2-1 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium on Monday night and the ensuing controversy around video assistant referee (VAR) technology.

The Villa head coach watched his side have a goal ruled out for offside against Ollie Watkins after he got on the end of Matt Targett's cross to turn home in added time.

However VAR adjudged Watkins to be offside, which he was but by centimetres, ruling out the goal that Villa's performance deserved.

Watkins was ruled offside with Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna all over him, the centre-back and scorer of the game's opening goal grappling with the striker.

Villa were battling away for an equaliser having seen West Ham take the lead for a second time one minute after half time with Jack Grealish equalising Ogbonna's second minute header.

The decision to rule Watkins, who had already missed a penalty given for a foul on Trezeguet by Declan Rice, offside incensed Villa fans online.

"Not frustrating, just wrong," Smith said. "I think that's the easiest way to describe it.

"I said right from the start of the season that offside is offside now, we know if it's a red line then it is a red line.

"They've given us where you can be offside from and I've no problem with that rule but they're giving offside for a part of the body that can't score.

"The only reason that part of the body is where it is is because it is being fouled by somebody who has got two arms around his neck which happens before he is offside.

"It's not a goal, it's a penalty. It's more of a penalty than the first one was.

"They have got that wrong and are probably spending that much time looking at the actual offside than they do at the foul."