Wolves Boss Gary O'Neil Rues Harsh Late Winner From Manchester City

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Gary O'Neil expressed disappointment over the decision to award Manchester City a stoppage-time goal, which denied Wolves a point at Molineux. Wolves had held the Premier League champions for most of the match and seemed set to secure their second point of the season. However, John Stones scored a header from Phil Foden's corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time, securing all three points for City.

The goal underwent a VAR review after the assistant referee initially flagged Bernardo Silva for offside near goalkeeper Jose Sa. Chris Kavanagh later ruled Silva was not interfering with play. O'Neil questioned the consistency of such decisions, noting similarities to a disallowed goal against West Ham last season. "I am trying to remain calm," he said.

O'Neil continued, "I have been involved in a few of those and not had many go in our favour, so I was expecting that outcome." He mentioned sending an image to referees last season showing that the West Ham keeper could see the ball despite proximity issues. "The same argument could be said here," he added.

Wolves have now replaced Southampton at the bottom of the Premier League table and have failed to win any of their first eight league games this season, marking their worst start in 41 years. Despite this setback, O'Neil remains optimistic about his team's potential based on their performance against City.

"I am proud of the players," O'Neil stated. "It was an unbelievable effort and we gave ourselves a great chance." He expressed his disappointment that they left with nothing but praised his players for their excellent performance and determination throughout the match.

Looking Ahead

O'Neil acknowledged that defending against City was challenging but commended his team for their hard work and resilience. "They were working their socks off," he said. He emphasized the need for consistent performances like this one, despite facing tough fixtures.

"We need to keep standing up," O'Neil urged. He stressed that while it has been a difficult run of matches, it's crucial for Wolves to continue showcasing their best efforts on the field.