Newcastle United dropped valuable points as they recorded a draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.
Andy Gray has admitted that he is ‘not sure’ what Rafa Benitez has got to complain about following Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Wolves in the Premier League on Monday night.
The Magpies were leading the encounter 1-0 at Molineux, with the officials putting up four minutes of stoppage-time and the home team equalising with the time on the clock at 94:34.
When the final whistle blew, Benitez was clearly incensed on the touchline because of the extra time added and that his team dropped valuable points in their race to stay in this division.
Former striker Gray was baffled by the reaction from Newcastle’s senior man because he felt that the extra 30 seconds that were added on by referee Graham Scott were justified.
“The keeper has cost them three points in the last two games,” Gray told beIN SPORTS. “I am not so sure what Rafa has got to complain about. It might be 94:30 when the ball went into the net.
“The laws of the game state that it’s a minimum of four minutes. If the referee felt that there was another 30 seconds to add then he is entitled to do so. I didn’t think it was a foul [on the goalkeeper].”
Benitez’s side opened the scoring after 56 minutes when Wolves keeper Rui Patricio failed to stop Isaac Hayden’s tame shot.
Thereafter, the away side still tried to push forward for a second and with it keep their defensive shape as they aimed to pick up three points against the seventh-placed side.
With just under 20 minutes left on the clock, Benitez introduced new signing Miguel Almiron into the action and the attacking midfielder looked lively and energetic on the ball.
Nonetheless, as the seconds were ticking for full-time, substitute Adama Traore crossed the ball from the right-hand side, with Newcastle’s shot-stopper Martin Dubravka failing to cling onto the ball before it was bundled over the line.
That result means that Benitez and his team are now two places and one point above the relegation as they host bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Town in their next league fixture.
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