Exclusive: Ex-PGMOL boss unhappy Welbeck’s Brighton goal disallowed v Wolves
Danny Welbeck’s controversially disallowed Brighton goal against Wolves has upset Keith Hackett in the 2-0 Seagulls win
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that Michael Oliver had should’ve given the goal, and should have at least consulted the monitor decide.
In the end, Brighton left Molineux with win anyway, with Welbeck eventually getting his goal from the penalty spot and Brajan Gruda adding a second late on.
The result means the Seagulls still have a chance of European football next season, with the race for eighth in the Premier League starting to heat up.
Welbeck denied by VAR thanks to Minteh
It had been a fairly even first 20 minutes, when Tariq Lamptey picked up the ball on the right-hand side and curled in a delightful cross.
Welbeck spun and volleyed home from 12-yards out, his low effort dribbling past a sprawling Jose Sa into the bottom corner.
| Name | Games | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards |
| Danny Welbeck | 29 | 10 | 4 | 5 |
Welbeck wheeled away to celebrate, under the impression that he had given Brighton the lead at Molineux.
However after a lengthy VAR check, referee Michael Oliver disallowed the goal, deciding that Yankuba Minteh was interfering with Nelson Semedo’s attempts to clear the ball at the back post.
The Brighton winger had just drifted into an offside position, but the debate remained as to whether he had impacted play, with Semedo unlikely to have prevented the goal regardless of whether Minteh was present or not.
Earlier in the contest Minteh had squandered a golden chance for Brighton, failing to lob Jose Sa with the Wolves keeper miles out from goal.
Keith Hackett wants more Michael Oliver involvement
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett revealed that he would’ve allowed the goal if he was refereeing the contest.
“I do think in subjective calls of this nature when you have to judge interfering with an opponent I would be much happier if the referee Michael Oliver had been called to the monitor to judge.
“I would have allowed the goal. [I’m] happy that the forward who scored has not impacted on his opponent.
“The defender is in wrong position and the goalkeeper has clear vision of the ball.
“It’s an easy call to rule out a goal for offside so I would like to see more involvement of the referee in these situations.”