Wolves’ Fury Boils Over After Last-Minute Defeat to Man City as Sporting Director Faces FA Charge
Manchester City snatched a dramatic victory against Wolves at Molineux on Sunday, thanks to a 95th-minute goal by John Stones—originally disallowed for offside but later reinstated following a VAR review. The decision to award the goal, and the late defeat, has sparked disciplinary trouble for Wolves.
Wolves, who had fought fiercely to keep City at bay, were left heartbroken when Stones’ header found the back of the net in stoppage time. The goal had initially been ruled offside, as Bernardo Silva was positioned near goalkeeper Jose Sa. However, after an on-field VAR review, the officials ruled that Silva had not interfered with play, allowing the goal to stand despite furious protests from Wolves’ players and fans.
But the drama didn’t end there. After the final whistle, Wolves’ sporting director, Matt Hobbs, allegedly confronted the referees in the tunnel. Reports claim Hobbs acted aggressively toward the officials, resulting in the FA charging him with misconduct for using “improper” and “abusive” language.
An FA statement outlined the situation: “Wolverhampton Wanderers’ sporting director has been charged with misconduct following their Premier League match against Manchester City on Sunday, 20 October. Matt Hobbs allegedly acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive words towards the match official/s around the tunnel area after the final whistle.”
The incident follows comments made by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil, who questioned whether match officials subconsciously favor bigger clubs like Manchester City. While O’Neil clarified that he did not believe referees were intentionally biased, he suggested that human nature could lead officials to give preferential treatment to the Premier League’s elite teams.
The fallout from this intense encounter at Molineux continues, with Wolves now facing additional scrutiny from the FA over their post-match behavior, compounding their frustration after the gut-wrenching loss.
