Unexpected Drone Leads To Premier League Game Getting Temporarily Paused

An English Premier League match was delayed on Saturday as an unidentified drone flew over the field.

The drone delay occurred during Aston Villa’s win at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton.

According to the New York Post, it flew over the stadium in the 40th minute. The referee spoke to the captions on both teams, and all parties involved decided to pause play momentarily to assess the situation.

The match was tied 0-0 at the time, and the drone led to both teams returning to their locker rooms.

It was cleared after about 10 minutes, and players returned to the pitch to resume playing.

Video of the incident and delay was posted to social media.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 21: A drone flying above the stadium brings a stop to play during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Aston Villa at St. Mary's Stadium on January 21, 2023 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)

Another YouTube Drone Prank

According to the New York Post, the drone was likely the result of yet another YouTube prank.

Ally Law, a YouTuber known for his consistent pranks, essentially took credit for the stunt.

Before the match, Law tweeted "Testing my new drone today over Southampton,” and posted a picture of a drone. “Beautiful day for it!”

Aston Villa rode a 77th minute goal to the 1-0 road win, cementing Southampton's position in last place.

Some Premier League managers have complained that "unfair" rules have led to struggles for teams like Southampton.

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It certainly won't help frustrations when drones are disrupting play. But it's likely to continue as long as there's YouTube likes and attention to be had.