Wolves vs Ipswich incidents: Mike Dean reacts amid disbelief at 'punch and slap'

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omari Hutchinson both left Kris Boyd stunned during the clash between Wolves and Ipswich after the reaction from Mike Dean.

With both sides starting the game in the bottom three in the Premier League table, putting pressure on the hosts’ manager Gary O’Neil in particular.

Not surprisingly therefore, this was a feisty encounter, with two incidents in the first-half being checked by VAR after players from both sides clashed.

The first of those left Boyd suggesting Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson had punched Wolves’ Santiago Bueno, before feeling that Rayan Ait Nouri had clearly slapped the Tractor Boys’ Wes Burns.

Speaking about those incidents on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (3:46pm) the former Rangers striker said: “We’ve had two VAR checks, Darren England… there’s a collision off the ball and the two of them come together, there is a little punch in there, Mike yeah?

“And then Ait-Nouri has a clash with Wes Burns and he just slaps him in the face. Play on, we’re allowed to hit each other now.”

Former referee Dean was less concerned with those incidents, as he responded by saying: “Haha, you’re allowed to punch people? It’s a bit of a petulant little flick on his chin but I wouldn’t say it’s violent conduct, so the referee is right to give them just a bit of a talking off.”

Botd though remained unimpressed as he retorted: “But if he’d have pulled his hair he’d have been sent off?”

With that a reference to a recent red card shown to Southampton defender Jack Stephens for tugging the hair of Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, Dean replied with by simply saying: “correct”.

Rayan Ait-Nouri meltdown leaves Gary O’Neil struggling at Wolves

Football Insider Opinion

This game was always going to be one that was filled with plenty of tension for both of these sides given the circumstances.

With the two teams starting the day in the bottom three, they will have seen this as a huge opportunity to pick up a vital win in the battle to avoid relegation.

Players for both Wolves and Ipswich will therefore have been feeling plenty of pressure right from the start of this one.

That meant this game always had the chance to be one that boiled over in this way, with individuals risking pushing the limits as frustration and nerves take their toll.

In the end a last-minute winner secured a 2-1 win for the visitors that is sure to pile even more pressure on O’Neil at Wolves, after he had seen Matt Doherty score a calamitous first-half own-goal as he got absolutely no good luck.

The 41-year-old may therefore look back at these incidents and wonder how different things might be in both the short and long-term, had VAR not shared the same view as Dean on either or both of them.

Ait-Nouri’s afternoon went from bad to worse after his post-match meltdown followed that of now-former captain Mario Lemina’s after defeat to West Ham.

In other news, Wolves are one of the clubs targeting a Serie A player for the January transfer window.

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