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Wolves boss Gary O\u2019Neil says elite referees manager Jon Moss told him he \u201ccould not believe\u201d his side were not given a penalty at Manchester United.<\/p>\n
The hosts won\u00a01-0 at Old Trafford\u00a0thanks to Raphael Varane\u2019s header.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Neil was furious his team did not get a late penalty when United keeper Andre Onana crashed into Sasa Kalajdzic and failed to make contact with the ball.<\/p>\n
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\u201cJon Moss said it was a blatant penalty and should have been given \u2013 fair play to him, he apologised,\u201d said O\u2019Neil.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have spent a lot of time with him today to understand the new guidelines, trying not to get myself booked in the first game, which I have failed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut fair play to Jon for coming out and saying it was a clear and obvious error \u2013 he couldn\u2019t believe the on-field referee didn\u2019t give it and can\u2019t believe VAR didn\u2019t intervene.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt probably made me feel worse, actually, because you know you are right. I feel worse about leaving with nothing. Live, I was told they didn\u2019t think it was a clear and obvious error.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moss, who was appointed general manager of England\u2019s elite referees within Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in April, sought out O\u2019Neil between his broadcast and written media obligations.<\/p>\n
It is understood PGMOL chief Howard Webb also contacted Wolves officials after the game to apologise for the mistake.<\/p>\n
Simon Hooper was the on-field referee who did not punish the incident while Michael Salisbury was the VAR.<\/p>\n
In April, Salisbury was stood down for a game after he did not intervene to award Brighton a penalty in a defeat at Tottenham while also acting as the VAR.<\/p>\n
Former leading referee Webb spoke before the season began about his desire to drive up standards and reduce high-profile mistakes.<\/p>\n
Onana disagreed with O\u2019Neil and Moss, saying the incident was just a natural coming together of players.<\/p>\n
Asked if it was a penalty, the Cameroon international said: \u201cNo, goalkeepers make decisions, sometimes you are right, sometimes you are not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI made a decision and I am responsible for everything. For me it was contact between two big guys and nothing happened. But for us, the most important thing was to win and I am happy for the victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I was confident [a penalty would not be given].\u201d<\/p>\n
United manager Erik ten Hag said \u201cit can always happen\u201d when asked if he was concerned whether Hooper was going to the monitor as he moved towards the side of the pitch.<\/p>\n
In fact, the referee was going to book O\u2019Neil for his protest, in line with the zero-tolerance policy for any managerial aggression towards officials this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke to Howard Webb every Sunday last season around decisions that didn\u2019t go our way,\u201d said ex-Bournemouth manager O\u2019Neil. \u201cI felt it was attached to us being Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think officials are favouring one side, I just think it is human nature if there is something you are not quite sure on, you, me, everybody would be impacted by the Old Trafford crowd and the fact it is Manchester United. But VAR should be able to give a penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
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