Gary O’Neil has revealed that the PGMOL’s Jon Moss admitted that Wolves were denied a “blatant penalty” in second half added time of their 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Monday.
Wolves were the better team for large periods during the game, even firing a Premier League record 23 shots against United at Old Trafford, but found themselves trailing to Raphael Varane’s 76th-minute header before the controversial moment late on.
As the match ticked into the seventh and final minute of added time, Wolves thought they should have had a penalty after United’s debutant goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic after rushing out to try and claim a cross.
Referee Simon Hooper halted play to go over to the touchline, but rather than review the incident on his pitch-side monitor, he instead issued a yellow card to O’Neil for dissent. The incident was reviewed by VAR at the time who deemed that Hooper had not made a clear and obvious error.
Should Wolves have had a penalty?
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 14, 2023pic.twitter.com/U2v3fnHhDM
“I was told live that they didn’t think it was a clear and obvious error but having just spoken to Jonathan Moss — and fair play to him for coming straight out — he apologised and said it was blatant penalty and should have been given,” O’Neil said.
“Fair play to Jonathan for coming out and saying it was clear and obvious error, he can’t believe the on-field referee didn’t give it and he can’t believe VAR didn’t intervene.”
O’Neil, who took charge of his first Wolves game since replacing Julen Lopetegui last week, had earlier told Sky Sports that he wasn’t surprised that the decision went against his side.
”I thought live that it was a penalty,” he said. “I thought it looked like the goalkeeper almost took our centre forward’s head off… and when I watch it back it looks the same. Really, really surprised.
“I think it’s a foul. When you go for the ball and clatter into an attacking player that hard I think it has to be a foul. I’m not overly surprised we didn’t get it to be honest.”
Onana, United’s £47m signing from Inter Milan, enjoyed an otherwise impressive debut, making six saves in total.
Unsurprisingly, the Cameroonian sided with the officials.
“No, goalkeepers make decisions, sometimes you are right, sometimes you are not,” Onana told Sky Sports.
“I made a decision and I am responsible for everything. For me, it was contact between two big guys and nothing happened. But for us, the most important thing was to win and I am happy for the victory.”
When asked whether he was confident it wouldn’t be given, he said with a smile: “Of course I was confident!”
Analysis: Lucky United a long way from title challengers
By Pete Hall at Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag’s wishlist has been delivered. Yet, it appears, that is still not enough.
While his shiny new striker was forced to watch on from the stands, the demanding Dutchman was able to use two of his new playthings – a ball-playing goalkeeper and another attacking midfield option– against Wolverhampton Wanderers last night, but the old toys from last season still got in the way.
Raphael Varane’s late header gave Ten Hag’ much more to smile about than on his United bow at the start of last term when they slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Brighton, but any prospect of a title tilt this time around seems a forlorn hope, on the evidence of a flat and unimaginative performance at Old Trafford.
That is seven wins on the bounce at home, one away from a Premier League club record. That, however, is where the positives end.
As he loves to do, the Dutchman made a half-time change, with Lisandro Martinez, replaced by Victor Lindelof, with Harry Maguire handed another snub. Ten Hag is running out of ways to get the message across that the former skipper is very much surplus to requirements.
Little changed as the second half got under way, with Matheus Cunha wasting another glorious chance to break the deadlock, somehow finding the outside of the post from close range.
It remained all Wolves as the half wore on, Cunha finally getting one on target, with debutant United stopper Andre Onana palming the ball away from danger.
Much was made of this new attacking weapon United had at their disposal, but the quarterback-cum-keeper could only do so much with his long, ranging kick-outs.
New Danish wonderkid Rasmus Hojlund, watching on from the stands, did not look impressed. What had he done? What would he be expected to do with such limited service.?
As Wolves’ young, vibrant midfield launched counter after counter, led by the omnipresent Joao Gomes, there seemed likely to be only one winner.
But the return of one trait in particular has been fundamental to Ten Hag’s Oranje Revolution – the art of winning ugly, with their only slick, precise attacking move winning the day.
Of course Bruno Fernandes, otherwise totally anonymous, was involved, clipping a sumptuous pass into Aaron Wan-Bissaka with the born again defender under Ten Hag finding Varane in the middle, who picked an opportune moment to score his first Premier League goal in 16 months.
Onana twice denied Fabio Silva late on to preserve the victory, with Wolves furious VAR did not award them a late spot kick. How they left Old Trafford with nothing only they will know.
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