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Keith Hackett Exclusive: ‘Wolves opener should not have stood in Tottenham win’
Keith Hackett
5 – 6 minutes
Tottenham Wolves
(Credit: Sky Sports and Imago)
Keith Hackett
Mon 14 April 2025 16:00, UK
Wolves scored a controversial opening goal during their win over Tottenham at Molineux, and Keith Hackett does not believe Rayan Ait-Nouri’s strike should have been allowed to stand.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the goal should have been ruled out due to Marshall Munesti impeding Guglielmo Vicario.
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A 4-2 defeat to Wolves on Sunday (13 April) has led to more speculation that Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is due to be sacked and replaced in the near future.
However, it appears the Spurs manager can at least feel hard done by over one of the goal his side conceded in this latest defeat.
Wolves strike early through Rayan Ait-Nouri
It took the hosts less then two minutes to open the scoring against Tottenham. After a free-kick was sent into the penalty area, Vicario was able to punch the ball away despite colliding with Munetsi.
The goalkeeper’s clearance though, only made it as far as the edge of the area, where it was then volleyed in brilliantly by Ait-Nouri to put Wolves in front.
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Frankfurt (H) Drew 1-1
Wolves (A) Lost 4-2
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That led to protests from Spurs, and the goal was inevitably checked by VAR, who elected not to intervene and overturn that opener.
The Premier League Match Centre then revealed that while Munetsi was deemed to be in an offside position on the goalline when Ait-Nouri had his shot, he was not viewed to be impeding Vicario.
As a result, the goal was allowed to stand, although Hackett feels that should not have been the case, partly down to the Wolves man’s initial collision with the Tottenham goalkeeper.
#WOLTOT – 2’
The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Munetsi in an offside position but deemed not to be impacting Vicario’s ability to play the ball.
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) April 13, 2025
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‘Tottenham unfortunate over early concession’ – Keith Hackett
After being asked what he made of the VAR check on that goal and the decision to allow it stand, the former referee said:
“It’s a tight one. I think he has impacted on the goalkeeper and I think that goal should have been disallowed.
“It’s more in the build-up. I would have expected that one to have been ruled out for offside, I think it has impacted on the goalkeeper, so I disagree with them.
“These sort of situations are so subjective when you actually look at them, line of sight etc. What you have to determine is, is the goalkeeper’s line of sight impaired by the Wolves player?
Keith Hackett
Ex-Premier League official Hackett believes the goal should have been disallowed.
“Why I think they think that he’s not impacted on the goalkeeper is because has made an attempt in the right direction and saved the ball.
“So was his line of sight impaired when the ball was coming in? Has it physically impacted? This is where the law gets complicated. For me I think he’s impacted on the goalkeeper so I think that should have been ruled out.
“Maybe at that point [of Ait-Nouri’s shot], they’ve decided that he’s not impacted on the goalkeeper so I think that what they’ve done is they’ve taken it just as the shot on goal.
“If they’ve done that I can understand why they’ve allowed the goal. So in the context of not knowing, given what I’ve seen, I think he has impacted [on the goalkeeper]. Given why they’ve come to the decision that he’s not is because the goalkeeper has made a save.
“So it’s a subjective call, as often these things are, and I don’t like to see goals ruled out.”
After a litany of errors during that match, many Tottenham fans were still quick to slate Vicario for his performance against Wolves.
Spurs must now refocus ahead of the crucial second leg of their Europa League quarter final away at Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday (17 April), with the tie currently locked at 1-1.
Wolves meanwhile can enjoy the fact they have now won each of their last four games to move comfortably clear of the Premier League relegation zo
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