Thom Gibbs
Mario Lemina and Jarrod Bowen come together after the final whistle Credit: Shutterstock/Simon Roe
Pictured: Wolves implode after West Ham defeat as Mario Lemina wrestles with Jarrod Bowen
Mario Lemina and Jarrod Bowen come together after the final whistle Credit: Shutterstock/Simon Roe
Wolverhampton Wanderers players and staff had to be separated from fighting amongst themselves as tempers flared after their latest disappointing defeat. Captain Mario Lemina and assistant manager Shaun Derry appeared to clash in the aftermath of Wolves’ 2-1 Premier League loss to West Ham, which may prove to be the last game in charge for manager Gary O’Neil.
Wolves were furious about a series of decisions and VAR reviews going against them and emotions spilled over at the game’s conclusion. Following the final whistle there was a scuffle between Wolves and West Ham players, seemingly provoked by Lemina rejecting an offer of a handshake from Jarrod Bowen.
O’Neil came onto the pitch to attempt to diffuse the situation but was soon attending to an intra-team argument. A livid Lemina shoved away team-mates who were attempting to placate him, then went head to head with Derry as the players moved towards the away end to acknowledge the travelling supporters.
Lemina was eventually dragged away by defender Toti Gomes but appeared to be aiming some heated words back towards Derry, who joined Wolves along with O’Neil in August 2023.
This was Wolves’ third league defeat in a row, a run in which they have now conceded 10 goals and O’Neil is fighting for his future after a successful first season in the Black Country. His club’s next two fixtures are against Ipswich and Leicester, which surely represent a chance to arrest their faltering form. But if he was hoping for a sign of a united squad still playing for their manager he was horribly undermined by his captain.
Stages of the scrap
Rejected handshake
West Ham captain Bowen extends a conciliatory hand to his Wolves equivalent. Lemina is not interested, Bowen takes this badly, dragging Lemina back then shoving him.
Wrestling match
The players grab one another’s shirts and engage in some growling. Bowen initially looks to have the upper hand and throws Lemina towards the ground, but Bowen ends up on the deck first.
Pictured: Mario Lemina wrestles with Jarrod Bowen as Wolves implode after West Ham defeat
Jarrod Bowen and Mario Lemina pick themselves up after throwing each other to the ground Credit: Getty Images/Jacques Feeney
‘He’s not worth it!’
A response unit of West Ham players are on the scene quickly to separate the players, Guido Rodriguez initially gets Bowen away from danger then shoves Lemina for good measure.
Support crew arrives
West Ham’s Jean-Clair Tobido then plays peacemaker in chief, getting a still-fuming Lemina away from danger. Derry checks on his midfielder and seems satisfied, Gary O’Neil is onto the pitch to play grown-up.
Pictured: Mario Lemina wrestles with Jarrod Bowen as Wolves implode after West Ham defeat
Mario Lemina is held back by team mate Toti Gomes Credit: Getty Images/Alex Pantling
Intra-squad strife
Lemina brushes away the helping hand of Toti Gomes before engaging with his assistant manager Derry. They square up, going forehead to forehead briefly, before Toti finally drags his team-mate away.
Pictured: Mario Lemina wrestles with Jarrod Bowen as Wolves implode after West Ham defeat
Lemina exchanges words with Wolves first team coach Shaun Derry Credit: Getty Images /Alex Pantling
What was said?
Bowen said:
I just went to shake his hand after the game, he didn’t want to shake my hand, two captains together just to say well done after the game. I know it’s difficult when you lose. I’ve been on the end of that situation.
O’Neil said:
Mario’s calm now. He’s a passionate guy and something that was said upset him. Then the instincts of all of the staff and players was that he didn’t get himself in trouble and we had him available for Ipswich.
He took a bit of calming down but everything’s fine now. Everybody understands things like that can happen in the heat of the moment.
It speaks of the amount of pressure that senior players are under and the situation they find themselves in at the moment. It’s been tough for them, trying to help the young ones get up to speed. Everyone at the football club is under a lot of stress and pressure at this moment.
I’m sure when Mario sees it back there will be things he would have done differently. But everything Mario does comes from a place of wanting to do well for the football club.
It’s one of those things that no one likes to see but they do happen in football, and it shows the team are still fighting.
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