"We were lucky in the end, we had chances before, but in the last minute to get a second ball from the goalkeeper. We were lucky, but happy of course"
Sunday 9 December 2018 20:27, UK
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted Matt Doherty's injury-time winner in his team's 2-1 victory at Newcastle was fortunate.
Doherty scored in the fourth minute of added time after Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka could only deflect a Diogo Jota shot into the path of the Ireland defender. Newcastle had earlier been reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of DeAndre Yedlin.
"I think we didn't do the best of performances," said Nuno
"In the second half everything changes with the red card of Newcastle, we control the game. And we had more possession. Trying to find a way is not so easy to unblock a team with one man less. We were lucky in the end, we had chances before, but in the last minute to get a second ball from the goalkeeper. We were lucky, but happy of course."
Nuno backed referee Mike Dean's decision to send off Yedlin for a foul on Jota in the 57th minute, saying: "It is too difficult for me to judge because I am on the other side of the pitch. What I felt was that it was a hold and I thought Diogo was one on one with the goalkeeper."
But the Portuguese manager would not be drawn on the second-half incident that saw defender Willy Boly accused of elbowing Newcastle goalscorer Ayoze Perez. Opposing manager Rafa Benitez was enraged by referee Mike Dean's decision to wave play on.
"For me that was a dispute of the ball," said Nuno. "Don't always ask me about the referee. I know it's a tough job. Let these questions for another person.
"You are always asking me about the referee. Sometimes he gives you, sometimes he takes you but I truly believe he is always deciding what he sees. Let's not take credit from our victories and Newcastle cannot always ask questions of the referee."
