Referees excluded following controversial penalty decision in Wolves vs Manchester United clash

Premier League officials Simon Hooper, Michael Salisbury, and Richard West will not officiate in the upcoming weekend's matches after a contentious penalty decision during the recent match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United. 

The decision has stirred discussions about using Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology and its impact on the game.

Wolves were left frustrated and aggrieved after a penalty appeal was turned down in their narrow 1-0 defeat against Manchester United. 

The incident occurred in added time when United's goalkeeper, Andre Onana, collided with Wolves' Sasa Kalajdzic while attempting to deal with a cross. The Wolves players and coaching staff were adamant that a penalty should have been awarded, with the incident prompting heated debates both on and off the pitch.

Simon Hooper, who served as the on-field referee during the match, was heavily scrutinised for not awarding the penalty. 

However, the controversy extended beyond the field. VAR officials Michael Salisbury and Richard West, responsible for Video Assistant Referee duties, also faced criticism for their failure to intervene and review the incident.

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil openly expressed his disappointment over the decision, highlighting the grey areas surrounding VAR implementation. O'Neil disclosed that referees manager Jon Moss apologised for the error and acknowledged that a "blatant penalty" had been overlooked.

"Jon Moss said it was a blatant penalty and should have been given - fair play to him, he apologised," O'Neil shared with reporters. "But fair play to Jon for coming out and saying it was a clear and obvious error - he couldn't believe the on-field referee didn't give it and can't believe VAR didn't intervene."

This incident is not the first time that Michael Salisbury has faced controversy regarding VAR decisions. Earlier in the year, Salisbury was sidelined from officiating matches after Brighton & Hove Albion were denied a penalty in a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. The recurrence of such incidents has raised concerns about the consistency and effectiveness of VAR in ensuring accurate refereeing decisions.