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“One of the worst decisions i have seen all season”- Jeff Stelling says VAR made ‘one of the worst decisions’ during Wolves vs Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux, extending their winning streak to six matches in a row. Nuno Espirito Santo’s tactical mastery, with his effective counter-attacking approach, left his former club, Wolves, struggling to keep up.
Under Vitor Pereira, Wolves had shown signs of improvement, but they had no answer for a confident Forest side. Jamie Carragher praised Morgan Gibbs-White, who opened the scoring with a well-executed goal just seven minutes into the game.
Callum Hudson-Odoi assisted Chris Wood, who then scored his 13th goal of the 2024/25 season before halftime. Taiwo Awoniyi capped the win with his first goal of the campaign, completing another impressive performance for Forest.
Jeff Stelling Reacts to Controversial VAR Decision in Wolves vs Forest
No Premier League match seems complete without some kind of VAR controversy, and this game was no exception. With Forest leading 1-0, a cross from Ola Aina appeared to hit Rayan Ait-Nouri’s hand in the penalty box, but VAR did not advise an on-field review by referee Peter Bankes.
Jeff Stelling was outraged by the decision, expressing his frustration on X: “One of the worst decisions I’ve seen all season!!”
While it didn’t cost Forest this time, many believed it was a clear error, and many expected the referee to be called to the screen for a review.
Stelling added: “Forest were devastating on the counter. Hudson-Odoi’s pace and precision, Wood’s finish. Wolves had been playing well, but how on earth was that not a handball by Ait-Nouri from Aina’s cross? Even more of a handball than De Ligt’s.”
Handball Law Under Fire After Controversial Decision
The VAR call raised questions about the consistency and fairness of handball rulings. While this decision wasn’t the most egregious Forest has faced, the claim that Ait-Nouri’s arm was in a “natural position” was heavily criticized. Replays showed that the ball struck his arm as he attempted to move it into a natural position.
In real-time, it seemed like a clear penalty, and many felt that had this been a match involving one of the traditional “big six” clubs, it would have received much more scrutiny.
Though the decision didn’t impact the outcome of the game, this incident highlights ongoing concerns with the handball law, which needs to be addressed for the sake of fair play in football.
