[LOOK] Boiling point: Wolves should have gotten a penalty and a draw in Manchester United loss says Gary O’Neil
|Published
LUCKY ESCAPE: United’s Andre Onana.
Wolves coach Gary O’Neil feels they should have walked away from Old Trafford on Monday night with at least one log point in the bag.
This after his side was denied an equalising penalty at the death in their Premier League clash against Manchester United.
In the end, the hosts won 1-0 thanks to Raphael Varane’s 76th-minute header.
It's a narrow defeat at Old Trafford.
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 14, 2023
🐺⏱️ pic.twitter.com/p86iM6KjJt
But coach Erik ten Hag and his Red Devils would have had their hearts in their throats in the 97th minute – the laaste of added time – when goalkeeper Andre Onana’s attempt to punch the ball ahead of Sasa Kalajdzic and took him out.
The Devils escaped, with VAR (Video assistant referee) ruling out any foul play.
It left O’Neil shattered – especially after his team took the most shots on goal for a visiting team at Old Trafford since 2005 and failed to convert any of them.
The Englishman, who oversaw his first game in charge of Wolves, says elite referees manager Jon Moss told him he “could not believe” his side was not given a penalty.
O’Neil explains: “Jon Moss said it was a blatant penalty and should have been given – fair play to him, he apologised…
“He couldn’t believe the on-field referee didn’t give it and can’t believe VAR didn’t intervene.
“It probably made me feel worse, actually, because you know you are right. I feel worse about leaving with nothing.”
🐺![CDATA[]]>🗣
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 14, 2023
Ten Hag, meanwhile, says of the incident: “It is difficult. The keeper was brave to come out to meet the ball.
“The ball was touched before Andre dived in, so he did not influence the touch from the Wolves player.
“The VAR checked it and said no penalty.”
United now get ready to travel to Tottenham on Saturday, with Wolves preparing to host Brighton on the same day.
TEAM P W D L F A Pts
1 Newcastle 1 1 0 0 5 1 3
2 Brighton 1 1 0 0 4 1 3
3 Man City 1 1 0 0 3 0 3
4 Arsenal 1 1 0 0 2 1 3
5 C. Palace 1 1 0 0 1 0 3
6 Fulham 1 1 0 0 1 0 3
7 Man Utd 1 1 0 0 1 0 3
8 Brentford 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
9 Tottenham 1 0 1 0 2 2 1
10 B’mouth 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
11 Chelsea 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
12 Liverpool 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
13 West Ham 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
14 Forest 1 0 0 1 1 2 0
15 Everton 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
16 Sheffield Utd 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
17 Wolves 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
18 Luton 1 0 0 1 1 4 0
19 Burnley 1 0 0 1 0 3 0
20 Aston Villa 1 0 0 1 1 5 0