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Premier League | Gameweek 11

Nov 4, 2023 at 3pm UK

Bramall Lane

Sheff Utd
2 - 1
Wolves

Archer (72'), Norwood (90+10' pen.)
Baldock (22'), Hamer (89'), Heckingbottom (90')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Bellegarde (89')
Dawson (49'), Doyle (58'), Silva (81')

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil: 'Premier League in crazy place with VAR'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 05 November 2023

Wolves boss O'Neil: 'Premier League in crazy place with VAR'

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil criticises the mentality of referees and VAR officials after his team lose 2-1 at Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil has reiterated his concern over the standard of officiating in the Premier League.

The West Midlands outfit had been on the receiving end of three highly-debatable decisions in their opening 10 fixtures of the season before they made the trip to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United on Saturday.

That became four in the closing minutes of their showdown with the Blades as Fabio Silva was adjudged to have fouled George Baldock inside the penalty area, with Ollie Norwood scoring the resulting spot kick to give the home side a 2-1 victory.

Although the penalty was immediately given by the on-field referee, replays showed that there was minimal contact, Silva seeming to pull out of the challenge and Baldock instigating the contact.

As with a similar incident involving Hwang Hee-chan and Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar last weekend, VAR opted against overturning the decision.

After the game, O'Neil revealed that he had held a conversation with referee Robert Jones, who retained his view that awarding a penalty was the correct call.

Sheffield United's Cameron Archer celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on November 2, 2023 © Reuters

In response, the Englishman claimed that the Premier League had gotten itself into "a real bad spot" with VAR, labelling the penalty decision as "mad".

Speaking to Match Of The Day, O'Neil said: "I don't really know what to say on it apart from it's not a penalty. I have spoken to the referee who says there is contact. I've watched it so many times, it's minimal contact between Fabio Silva's shin pad and George Baldock's calf.

"If that's a foul then there were a million fouls in that match today. The referee was so quick to want to give it, it's never a clear penalty. He just needs to wait calmly and if he's made a big error then VAR will let him know. It's never a penalty kick.

"I don't know where to go with it. We're told to go in and have a sensible conversation but I do and he's [Robert Jones] still sat there watching it with me and telling me it's a penalty. That tells me that we're in a crazy place.

"Baldock knows just to move his foot across, he goes down before the contact. The referee is telling me he doesn't see that which tells me we're in a real bad spot. We need to be better, though. We can't let these mad decisions decide things for us we've lost six points because of it this season."

On another bad day for VAR, Mikel Arteta described the decision to allow Newcastle United's decisive goal against Arsenal as "an absolute disgrace" and 'embarrassment'.

Defeat for Wolves leaves them in 13th position in the Premier League standings, seven points above the relegation zone ahead of the encounter with Tottenham Hotspur on November 11.