Wolves Manager O’Neil Furious with VAR Decision in Fulham Defeat

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil expressed frustration and discontent with bad refereeing decisions, suggesting that they were affecting his team’s reputation and livelihoods after his side’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Fulham on Monday, marred by more VAR controversy.

Willian’s two penalties, including a stoppage-time winner, along with Alex Iwobi’s early strike for Fulham being canceled out by Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan, who also scored from the penalty spot, were pivotal moments in the game.

VAR once again became the focal point after an engaging match at Craven Cottage, where Fulham showcased a strong start and secured a well-deserved lead early on, only for Wolves to draw level mid-way through the first half.

Referee Michael Salisbury’s contentious penalty decisions further added to the drama of the match, and Willian’s successful conversion from the spot compounded O’Neil’s grievances, with Wolves being on the receiving end of several controversial penalty calls this season.

Wolves managed to equalize with a spot-kick of their own, but a third penalty was awarded to Fulham after a VAR intervention, which Willian duly converted to clinch the win in the 94th minute.

O’Neil, visibly emotional, confronted the referee’s decisions, lamenting that they had gone against his team and attributing them to the impact of VAR on the team and managers’ reputations.

Expressing exasperation with VAR, O’Neil questioned the integrity of various decisions in the game and lambasted the system for negatively influencing the team’s performance and results.

Meanwhile, Fulham manager Marco Silva praised his team’s “winning spirit” while also suggesting that some of the penalty awards were contentious.

Addressing the impact of VAR on decision-making, Silva acknowledged the importance of accurate calls and hoped for more consistent and fair use of technology in football.

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