Richard Keys has expressed his belief that referee Michael Salisbury may not officiate in a Premier League game this weekend due to his performance in the Fulham vs. Wolves match. Keys suggested that Salisbury appeared “scared” to give the second penalty and questioned why the referee didn’t request to review the first penalty decision using the monitor.
In the Fulham vs. Wolves game, Salisbury awarded a penalty for an apparent foul by Nelson Semedo on Tom Cairney, but VAR later revealed that Semedo got the ball first. The second penalty, awarded against Wolves for a foul by Joao Gomes on Harry Wilson, was not given by Salisbury initially but was later awarded by VAR.
Keys expressed confusion about Salisbury admitting the mistake in the first penalty decision and speculated that this influenced the referee’s mindset for the second penalty. He mentioned on X (formerly Twitter) that Salisbury might have been “scared” to give the second penalty, and he suggested that Salisbury might not be selected for a Premier League game over the weekend.
The second penalty decision, although eventually given by VAR, was deemed extremely harsh by some, including pundit Jamie Carragher. Keys acknowledged that the blame for this decision might lie more with VAR official Stuart Attwell.
Keys concluded by stating that Salisbury’s performance was “absolutely shocking” and may have cost Wolves crucial points. Despite the controversial decisions, Gary O’Neil, associated with the match, gave a dignified and classy interview after the game, refraining from strong criticism.
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