Micah Richards has weighed in on Manchester City’s contentious stoppage-time winner against Wolves.
After taking an early lead through Jorgen Strand Larsen, Gary O’Neil’s side were pegged back after Josko Gvardiol equalised for the champions before the interval.
City continued to build on their momentum but the game looked set to end with the points shared between the two sides before John Stones headed home from a corner deep into stoppage time.
The goal was initially disallowed by on-field official Chris Kavanagh before a review from VAR.
A lengthy VAR check followed, as it emerged Bernardo Silva had appeared to impede Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa moments before Stones’ winner, by backing into his compatriot as the ball was delivered.
John Stones fired Manchester City with a stoppage-time header against Wolves on Sunday
The England international’s would-be winner was followed be a VAR check for potential offside
Bernardo Silva had been jostling with Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa but the goal stood on review
Speaking following the game Micah Richards agreed with the VAR’s verdict to allow the goal to stand but insisted Wolves are entitled to feel hard done by.
‘I would like to see a goal be given for this because I don’t think there’s too much contact,’ Richards said on Sky Sports.
‘But the fact of the matter is that [Silva] is still in the keeper’s way so it has affected the play in my opinion. You want consistency as sometimes you see these given and sometimes not.
‘There’s a slight nudge that puts the keeper off balance so he’s not set so I can understand why Wolves will feel aggrieved at this particular moment.’
Fellow pundit Daniel Sturridge insisted Silva’s antics had prevented Sa from being able to compete for the inswinging cross at his near post.
He said: ‘I believe [Silva] has impacted the ability of the goalkeeper to challenge for the ball.’
The rules of the game state that a player should be penalised if they are ‘making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball’ whilst in an offside position.
Micah Richards insisted that the contact from Silva was not enough to have the goal ruled out
A tweet from the Premier League Match Centre clarified the controversial incident following the game.
It read: ‘Stones’ goal was disallowed on-field due to Bernardo Silva being in an offside position and in the goalkeeper’s line of vision.
‘The VAR deemed Bernardo Silva wasn’t in the line of vision and had no impact on the goalkeeper and recommended an on-field review. The referee overturned his original decision and a goal was awarded.
