Controversial Challenge: Jon Moss Apologizes for Clear Penalty on Man Utd Goalkeeper – Andre Onana stirs Debate
Wolves denied clear penalty as VAR fails to intervene after Man Utd goalkeeper's collision with Kalajdzic; Gary O'Neil reveals Jon Moss' apology; Neville and Carney agree with penalty decision
Gary O'Neil, in the aftermath of Wolves' 1-0 loss to Manchester United, disclosed that Jon Moss from the PGMOL had issued an apology to him due to the team being denied a clear penalty call.
In the final moments of the game, United's debutant goalkeeper, Andre Onana, escaped penalty scrutiny despite colliding with Sasa Kalajdzic while failing to secure the ball. Referee Simon Hooper reprimanded O'Neil for his objections against VAR's lack of intervention by booking him.
Registering the highest number of shots on goal by an away team at Old Trafford since Chelsea in 2005, Wolves were unable to secure a victory as they suffered a defeat due to Raphael Varane's winning goal 14 minutes before full time. O'Neil expressed his disappointment in the post-match press conference, mentioning that although he received an apology, it provided little comfort considering the team's promising yet ultimately unsuccessful performance.
"We've just had a conversation with Jonathan Moss and credit to him for immediately apologizing and acknowledging that it was an obvious penalty that should have been awarded," he remarked.
"I dedicated a significant portion of my day today to spending time with him, sacrificing my preparation to comprehend the new guidelines and attempting to avoid getting booked in my inaugural game under these regulations, a feat I unfortunately did not achieve."
Kudos to Jonathan for acknowledging the evident and blatant mistake, expressing disbelief that the on-field referee failed to acknowledge it and that VAR did not step in.
Oddly enough, it actually intensified my disappointment because when you are certain you are correct, it stings even more to leave empty-handed.
'It was a penalty' - Neville & Carney
There was almost unanimous agreement among the panel of Monday Night Football, with former Manchester United captain Gary Neville and ex-England player Karen Carney both opining that Onana managed to evade punishment.Neville stated, "I believed it should have been a penalty because Onana was nowhere near the ball. He consistently seemed to be underneath it, with no chance of reaching it, and could have made a decision before leaping."
I used to advocate for my goalkeeper to aggressively challenge the opposition players, and he has indeed done that. However, the issue lies in the fact that he was nowhere near the ball. Although his intention was to disrupt and unsettle the attacking player, it resulted in a penalty because of his lack of proximity to the ball. If he had arrived at the same time and simply missed the ball, the outcome would have been different. Nevertheless, I believe he is aware of his actions.
Carney expressed his agreement with O'Neil's sense of injustice. He pointed out that Onana came out with determination, but lost focus at the last moment and collided with the player. Carney believed that it was a clear penalty, don't you agree?
On the other hand, pundit Jamie Carragher disagreed with Carney. He didn't think there was sufficient evidence to support overturning the referee's initial decision of not awarding the penalty.
"I had my doubts when I first laid eyes on it," he stated.
"Upon its initial denial, I held little hope for its eventual reversal. Once the referee rejected it, I deemed the mistake too insignificant for them to overturn."
