Wolves finally recorded their first win of the Premier League season on match day 11 at Molineux.
The Old Gold knew the stakes were higher than ever going into the game, with three points a must against newly-promoted Southampton.
With Gary O’Neil’s job on the line, Wolves charged at the Saints from the first whistle, seeing Pablo Sarabia score the club’s fastest ever Premier League goal in the opening two minutes.
Matheus Cunha’s emphatic strike stood for the hosts’ second of the contest, earning a long overdue Premier League win.
Alan Shearer blasts disallowed goal decision in Wolves vs Southampton
The win lifted Wolves off the bottom of the table and to within one point of safety however, a memorable day at Molineux did not come without controversy.
In the 14th minute, Southampton netted an equaliser through Ryan Manning, who struck the ball past Jose Sa to level the scoring.
- READ MORE: Former referee believes there was a ‘major mistake’ during Wolves’ victory over Southampton
There was a tussle in the box prior to the goal, seeing both Nelson Semedo and Mateus Fernandes hit the deck, resulting in Manning’s effort being chalked off by VAR.
Fernandes was deemed to have fouled Semedo in the build up to the strike as VAR instructed Thomas Bramall to review the on field decision of a goal, seeing the equaliser overturned.
On BBC Match of the Day, pundit Alan Shearer fumed over the decision, blasting VAR for getting it ‘totally wrong’ to deny the Saints an early lifeline.
“I think they [Southampton] have been really hard done by here. Semedo actually does, he steps right across him. He blocks him. And the referee doesn’t give a foul here.
“Whatever happened to the high bar and to the referee’s call? Because the ref gives nothing, the ref gives the goal. So then the VAR thinks he has made an error, huge error, and they sent him to the screen. I think they got that totally wrong.”
PGMOL confirmed there was a foul on Semedo, offering an explanation to why Manning’s goal was cancelled, a call that will be widely discussed in the aftermath.
Wolves deserved the win over Southampton
For the first time in a very long time, Wolves benefitted from VAR’s intervention as Southampton were denied an early equaliser.
The visitors’ goal could have changed the direction of the game however, to O’Neil’s delight, his side were handed a get out of jail free card.
- READ MORE: Wolves fans make their feelings clear on Gary O’Neil’s future after victory over Southampton
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins for the Old Gold but, there will be very few more important than the victory, with the task now to build momentum after the international break.
In the bottom three is not where Wolves will want to be although, moving to one point from safety gives O’Neil some breathing space and the platform to right his wrongs.