Wolves manager Gary O’Neil downplayed the significance of Unai Emery’s refusal to shake hands during their match against Aston Villa, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Hwang Hee-Chan scored for Wolves, quickly followed by Pau Torres’ equalizer for Villa.
Emery chose to head straight to the dressing room at halftime, not engaging in a handshake with O’Neil. Despite this, O’Neil dismissed any notion of a rift, describing it as “a lot of nothing.” He explained that he was discussing the match’s extended playing time with the fourth official and that Emery didn’t want to wait for the handshake.
O’Neil expressed understanding, stating that he has waited a long time for other managers in the past, acknowledging their need to talk to officials. He emphasized that there were no issues between him and Emery.
Reflecting on the game, O’Neil believed that Wolves had the upper hand when both teams had eleven players on the field. The match was closely contested, and a draw seemed a fair outcome. He also highlighted that his team was making progress, scoring goals and working on improvement.
The match featured several key moments, including Rayan Ait-Nouri’s missed chance for Wolves in the first half and Villa’s Ollie Watkins hitting the post with the last kick of the game.
Had Villa won, they would have climbed into the Champions League qualification positions after Liverpool’s draw with Brighton. Emery acknowledged the intensity of the derby match, praised the atmosphere, and mentioned Villa’s quick response to Wolves’ goal. He expressed ambition and frustration with moments where they lost control of the game.
In summary, O’Neil played down the handshake incident with Emery and emphasized the fair nature of the draw, while Emery focused on his team’s ambition and moments of frustration during the match.
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