Gary O’Neil
During a press session on Sunday afternoon, Gary O’Neil, manager of Wolves, shared his thoughts about a recent contentious match against Manchester City. The game ended in Wolves’ seventh loss in eight outings, leaving them at the bottom of the league with just one point. A key moment came when John Stones’ goal celebration for Manchester City was cut short after Bernardo Silva was flagged offside, leading to the goal being initially disallowed before being overturned by the referee upon review.
### Gary O’Neil’s Criticism and Contemplation on Refereeing Bias
Amidst the discussions around this decision, Gary O’Neil expressed his skepticism about the review process and the potential for subconscious bias favoring larger clubs during tight match decisions. His statements reflect both an immediate reaction to the match event and a broader consideration of referee decision-making dynamics:
Gary O’Neil said, “If I had to upset someone in the street and there’s a big guy and a little guy, I’m upsetting the little guy. So even though his line of vision wasn’t impacted, he was in close proximity, and it had an effect on him. Bernardo Silva is less than a yard away from Jose’s feet. So I think that same reasoning should be applied to this one. You get these reviews back. And it says 5-0 it’s the right decision, when it’s not that clear. I didn’t have too much faith that we would get the rub of the green. The refereeing will be the refereeing and there’s nothing I can do about it. Is there something in the subconscious around decision-making? Without even knowing it, are you more likely to give it to Manchester City than Wolves? My focus and my senses are heightened when we’re facing Man City and Pep (Guardiola) and (Erling) Haaland. Are the officials the same, when it’s Haaland and when it’s Manchester City? Is there something in there that influences decision-making? Referees are human, and Manchester City scoring a last-minute winner is a big thing, so maybe there’s something sub-consciously that you’re less likely to get those decisions. But Manchester City scoring a last-minute winner is a big thing. It’s a bigger thing than Wolves scoring a last-minute goal against West Ham. So maybe there’s something subconsciously that means that you are less likely to get them. I might be miles off, but if I had to upset someone in a street and there was a little guy and a big guy, I’m upsetting the little guy. But there is something in there and they definitely don’t do it on purpose. I know they’re 100 per cent honest, and they’re doing the best job they can, and I respect them fully. I just know that from a human point of view, I feel different playing Manchester City than I do when we play someone in the first round of the Carabao Cup. I’m sure the officials feel the same. They feel it. They’re human. But maybe there’s something that just edges it in that direction when it’s really tight.”
Gary O’Neil also mentioned an intention to discuss these issues with PGMOL chief Howard Webb, noting the need for clarity from an “understanding point of view.”
