Another Premier League game, another VAR controversy for Gary O’Neil to deal with after watching his Wolves side dealt another slap in the face by replay technology.
Fulham attacker Willian’s 94th minute penalty, his second goal for the evening, condemned the visitors to a second defeat in three matches.
However, the penalty award was highly contested and indeed Fulham’s claims had been initially turned down only for VAR official Stuart Attwell to tell on-field referee Michael Salisbury that he needed to look again at a challenge on Harry Wilson.
Safe to say even the measured O’Neil found his patience stretched to its very limits. After erroneous calls against his side against Manchester United and Newcastle, the Wolves boss was admirably controlled.
Here’s what the national media made of last night’s events.
Daily Mail
If decisions do even out over the course of a season, Wolves will eventually see a glut of them going in their favour.
Another game and at least one, if not two, debatable penalties given against Gary O’Neil’s side.
And the end result was Wolves feeling a familiar sense of injustice and fury, especially after referee Michael Salisbury admitted to O’Neil that one of the decisions he would have changed if he had been instructed to review it on the pitch side monitor.
The Guardian
At this stage Gary O’Neil could be forgiven for wondering if VAR has been designed purely to drive him mad. Clear and obvious? All that was beyond debate when Harry Wilson tumbled over João Gomes’s outstretched leg in added time was that the Fulham substitute had taken advantage of the Wolves midfielder’s naivety. It was barely a challenge from Gomes and Fulham could hardly have cried foul if Michael Salisbury’s decision to wave play on had stood.
But there would be interference from Stockley Park. There was slight contact from Gomes; enough to make Stuart Attwell send Salisbury to the pitchside monitor. Wilson had played it beautifully, tumbling theatrically.
The Mirror
Wolves boss Gary O’Neil delayed his post-match media commitments to hold talks with officials who admitted they made another mistake which went against his side.
Fulham ran out 3-2 winners of an entertaining – and controversial – clash at Craven Cottage. The winning goal came in stoppage time as Willian converted from the spot, his second penalty of the game.
The night’s third spot kick was awarded after referee Michael Sailsbury was told by VAR to recheck an incident involving Joao Gomes and Harry Wilson. Sailsbury initially waved away protests after the Fulham forward nipped in front of the Brazilian midfielder.
However, VAR Stuart Atwell advised the on-field official to check the incident on a pitchside monitor, after which a penalty was given. It’s the latest in a long line of divisive calls that have gone against Wanderers, with head of referees Howard Webb already offering them two apologies for mistakes.
The Sun
Gary O’Neil was dealt another blow by his pet hate VAR as Wolves crashed to a dramatic defeat.
His team was beaten in injury time by the third penalty of a breathless game which will only add to the frustrations of the Wanderers’ boss.
Fulham winger Willian had earlier buried a debatable spot kick on the hour after Tom Cairney went down under a challenge from defender Nelson Semedo.
The Brazilian then had the last word of a thrilling game by converting from 12 yards again – this time after sub Harry Wilson was brought down by Joao Gomes during seven minutes of stoppage time.
To make it even worse for O’Neil, his team had twice pulled themselves back into the game with two equalisers – having also hit the woodwork in the first half during a spirited away performance.
Wolves website
VAR controversy rained on Wolves once again as Gary O’Neil’s side fell to defeat against Fulham following a five-goal thriller at Craven Cottage.
Wolves had to fight back twice after falling behind, the first saw Matheus Cunha head the ball into the net at the far post midway through the first-half, before Hee Chan Hwang dispatched his side’s first penalty of 2023/24 late on.
But as has been the case time and time again with Wolves this season, it was contentious VAR penalty decisions which impacted the game in their opposition’s favour.