Wolverhampton Wanderers have been at the receiving end of questionable refereeing decisions in the current Premier League season, according to former Chelsea and Everton winger and current BBC pundit Pat Nevin. Nevin believes that Wolves have been the most unfairly treated team when it comes to poor officiating.
Although Wolves are currently in mid-table with 12 points under manager Gary O’Neil, they recently suffered a heartbreaking loss to bottom-placed Sheffield United due to a late penalty decision. This incident is part of a pattern of contentious calls going against Wolves, including a disputed penalty against Newcastle United and a series of unfavorable decisions during their match against Manchester United on the season’s opening weekend, where Sasa Kalajdzic’s late incident with Andre Onana went against them. A questionable decision also occurred in their game against Luton.
Nevin, when reflecting on recent significant moments in football, including Tottenham vs. Chelsea, Mikel Arteta’s outburst following Arsenal’s loss to Newcastle, and the Luton-Liverpool draw, asserts that no other Premier League team has experienced as many unfavorable refereeing calls as Wolves. He suggests that even Arsenal fans, who may feel aggrieved, cannot compare to the misfortune Wolves have faced this season. Nevin admits to keeping a list of the top refereeing errors of the season and highlights the failure to award Wolves a late penalty against Manchester United as a prominent example of poor officiating. He also mentions the penalty against Wolves’ Hwang in the Newcastle game as another costly decision.
Furthermore, Nevin criticizes the recent 97th-minute penalty awarded to Sheffield United, which led to their victory, stating that Fabio Silva did not foul Baldock, and Baldock was, in fact, responsible for the contact. Nevin believes that Wolves should have 16 points instead of 12, which would place them joint 8th in the league and reduce Manchester United’s point tally. Many teams can complain about refereeing decisions, but Nevin argues that Wolves have a legitimate reason to be dissatisfied with the officiating they’ve encountered this season.
In summary, Pat Nevin contends that Wolves have been particularly hard done by when it comes to refereeing decisions in the Premier League this season and highlights several instances where poor officiating has cost them valuable points. He believes that Wolves should be higher up the league table if not for these unfavorable calls.
Leave a Reply