Huge VAR controversy as Wolves fail to prise open 10-man Leicester
Again the video assistant referee was the talking point as a tenacious performance from Wolves, seeking to re-energise their push to repeat last season’s qualification for Europe, was denied the win it deserved.
Wily Boly’s header just before half-time looked like a legitimate goal but was deemed otherwise by one of those zoom lens offside decisions that so infuriate those on the wrong end.
Boly’s conversion from a setpiece routine was ruled out by the trailing foot of Pedro Neto as Diogo Jota was returning his short corner, rendering null and void Neto’s cross to the far post and Matt Doherty’s header back across goal. The remaining minute of the first half played out to the accompaniment of booing from the home crowd.
Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves head coach, has been frustrated more than most. “Something has to be done,” he said. “Unfortunately, it has happened more times for us and that is upsetting but it is not about Wolves, it is about football, about what we have and what kind of game we want to see and how the fans are going to react to it.
“Let’s hope that whoever has to decide has a good look, sees what is happening, not only with us professionals but also for the fans. I’m still positive because we played well but
I’m upset. Molineux was buzzing and suddenly it is down. The players don’t understand. They don’t see, they don’t have the lines, they see the ball go in and they celebrate. When you have something, something that is as hard to achieve as a goal, and someone takes it away, you don’t like it. Then you have an issue over players maintaining their concentration.”
It was a lucky break for Leicester, whose hold on third place in the Premier League table is under no immediate threat but the loss of momentum that was causing some anxiety before the winter break is still an issue.
The Leicester manager, Brendan Rodgers, took some positives from his side keeping a clean sheet after Hamza Choudhury’s 78th-minute red card but it was a chance missed to go above Manchester City and one win in five in the Premier League – either side of a missed opportunity in the Carabao Cup – leaves him with problems.
Choudhury’s dismissal was for a second yellow card, given for a silly foul on Leander Dendoncker after he had lost his footing and brought the Wolves man down as he reached for the ball. “I can see why Mike [Dean] has given it, but I felt the first yellow was a well-timed tackle, where he gets the ball,” Rodgers said. “They will be disappointed, of course, about the goal being ruled out. It was his little toe that was offside, wasn’t it? But we have seen them so many times now and when you are the manager on the other side, it’s brilliant.”
Leicester had been quickest out of the traps but as the first half evolved the more consistent threat was coming from Wolves.
Leicester were unchanged from the side that drew at home to Chelsea before the winter break, still lacking Wilfred Ndidi’s protective presence in midfield. Kasper Schmeichel did not help his colleagues by clearing the ball straight to Neto. Happily for the Danish goalkeeper, control eluded the Portuguese and his attempt to take advantage turned into a horrible slice.
Leicester needed to find a way to make the most of their good fortune, yet Jamie Vardy was never a threat and Wolves restricted the creative influence of James Maddison so much that Leicester rarely threatened after the break.
Wolves had chances: Romain Saiss from a free-kick, Adama Traore with a good effort in stoppage time – but as the action varied between scrappy and frantic, Leicester drew back to defend after Choudhury’s red card and Wolves could find no way through.
Wolverhampton Wanderers