Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has suggested officials could be subconsciously influenced to give Manchester City decisions.

Wolves manager Gary O’Neil was left frustrated after their match against Manchester City on Sunday, with the away side scoring an injury-time winner to take all three points from the contest.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but a VAR review deemed that Bernardo Silva wasn’t interfering with play or an opponent.

Speaking afterwards, O’Neil questioned whether officials are more likely to give decisions to Manchester City because they’re influenced by the scale of the occasion.

“Is there something in the subconscious around decision making, without even knowing it, are you more likely to give it (a decision) to Manchester City than Wolves?” O’Neil asked.

“My focus and my senses are heightened when we’re facing Man City and Pep and Haaland. Are the officials the same when it’s Haaland and when it’s Manchester City? Is there something in there that – not on purpose – influences decision making?

“They obviously guarantee me there isn’t, but they are human. Manchester City scoring a last-minute winner is a big thing, 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 (decisions).”

Just a few weeks on from Arsenal’s red card against Manchester City, in an incident where Michael Oliver jumped straight to the harshest-possible punishment for a relatively minor offence, Gunners fans are probably sympathetic to O’Neil’s view.

Referees aren’t immune to the narratives surrounding the game. The talk around Arsenal revolves around ill-discipline at the moment, whilst the talk around Manchester City is generally about the inevitability of their title challenges.

In the heat of the moment, that probably leads you to assume the Arsenal player is acting out again, or that the late City winner was bound to happen. It’s what you expected, so you’re less likely to question it.