AliousWolves took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a hard-fought victory over Bournemouth, securing a vital 1-0 win on the South Coast.
Vitor Pereira’s men battled their way to three crucial points at the Vitality Stadium, with Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal proving decisive.
Despite the close contest, Wolves were given a major advantage when Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi received a red card following a VAR review, leaving the home side with ten men for the majority of the match.
The Ukrainian defender was initially shown a yellow for his challenge on Rayan Ait-Nouri, but after intervention from VAR, the decision was upgraded to a straight red.
The Premier League later justified the call, citing ‘serious foul play’ as the reason for the dismissal. However, the ruling has sparked debate, with former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett voicing his disagreement.
Hackett responded to criticism from fans on social media, agreeing with claims that VAR had made an incorrect decision.
He suggested that Zabarnyi’s tackle warranted only a yellow, aligning with BBC Match of the Day pundits who also questioned the necessity of VAR’s involvement in the incident.
Wolves have often found themselves on the wrong side of VAR decisions, but in this case, the technology appeared to work in their favor.
It remains uncertain whether Bournemouth will appeal the red card, but if they do, it would mark the second instance this season where a dismissal against Wolves was overturned.
Earlier in 2025, Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off at Molineux for a foul on Matt Doherty, only for Arsenal to later win an appeal.
Whether Bournemouth will follow a similar path and challenge the PGMOL’s decision remains to be seen.
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