Wolves manager **Gary O’Neil** has drawn the attention of the **Football Association (FA)** after raising concerns about potential unconscious bias among referees favoring bigger clubs. His comments came after Wolves’ 2-1 loss to **Manchester City**, where **John Stones** scored a controversial injury-time header that was initially disallowed for offside but later awarded following a VAR review. The review concluded that **Bernardo Silva**, who was near Wolves’ goalkeeper **Jose Sa**, did not obstruct his line of vision, leading the referee to overturn the decision.
O’Neil’s remarks questioned whether referees might be subconsciously more likely to favor decisions in favor of high-profile teams like Manchester City, although he made it clear that he did not believe there was any intentional bias. He explained that such decisions could be influenced without referees being aware, comparing it to an instinctive reaction of “upsetting the little guy” when faced with a bigger challenge.
The FA has now asked O’Neil to explain his comments, which will determine whether any further action will be taken. This follows his frustration with the decision, which he felt was inconsistent with a similar disallowed goal for **Max Kilman** against **West Ham** last season, where Wolves had a late equalizer ruled out due to a perceived obstruction of the goalkeeper.
O’Neil’s concern highlights a recurring issue of **offside rulings** involving interference with the goalkeeper’s line of vision, as the laws of the game state that an attacking player should be penalized if they clearly obstruct the keeper’s view. Wolves’ bottom-of-the-table status adds further weight to O’Neil’s frustrations, as he hopes for more consistency in refereeing decisions moving forward.
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