A HUGE brawl erupted at the London Stadium after West Ham edged past Wolves in the Premier League El Sackico on Monday night.
Hammers captain and match-winner Jarrod Bowen was thrown to the turf as tensions boiled over after an emotional night for West Ham.
The handbags came out at full time after Mario Lemina refused to shake Bowen’s hand.
It caused both skippers to square up to each other and get involved in a grappling contest.
Bowen appeared to say: “Shake my hand” several times, before shoving Lemina back and grabbing him by the scruff of the neck.
Lemina in turn snatched onto Bowen’s shirt and flipped the England winger onto the grass.
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Players from both sides rushed in and there was chaos on the pitch as West Ham celebrated a hugely important victory.
Bowen and Lemina were both subsequently booked by ref John Brooks after VAR had checked for violent conduct.
An enraged Lemina even pushed his own team-mate Toti Gomes and Wolves coaching staff member Shaun Derry.
Both were trying to calm the Wolves captain down – as was West Ham star Jean-Clair Todibo.
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Gary O’Neil said post-match: “Mario was annoyed with one of the West Ham players. His team-mates and Shaun tried to calm him down.
“The last thing we need is him getting a suspension. He’s important to us.”
Lemina’s frustration comes after Wolves felt aggrieved by THREE VAR decisions.
O’Neil’s side had a penalty appeal turned down by on-field officials and VAR after Emerson felled Goncalo Guedes.
Explaining the decision, the Premier League match centre tweeted: “The referee’s call of no penalty for the challenge by Emerson on Guedes was checked and confirmed by VAR, deeming that the contact was outside the box.”
And Konstantinos Mavropanos appeared to foul Hugo Bueno in the build-up before Bowen put West Ham back in front.
And Jamie Carragher agreed saying: “How is that not a foul?” before the home side’s winner.
Wolves then had another penalty appeal turned down after Mavropanos felled Bellegarde.
Fans at home were left fuming after believing that Tomas Soucek’s headed opener came after West Ham were awarded a corner incorrectly as the ball came off Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Mohammed Kudus also had two goals ruled out for offside.
Both Julen Lopetegui and O’Neil came into the match on the brink of the sack.
After last week’s thumping at Everton, O’Neil talked as if he would be gone by the morning, and now it seems inevitable after coming on the wrong side of ‘El Sackico’.
Wolves sit 19th in the Prem, having won just two of 15 games this season.
Meanwhile, West Ham, who are 14th, climbed one point behind Man Utd in the table.
The Hammers showed their support to Michail Antonio following his car accident on Saturday, with both Soucek and Bowen paying tribute to him with their goal celebrations.
Before the game, West Ham players warmed up in replicas of his shirt, while the crowd chanted his name at kick-off and again nine minutes into the game.
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The team’s match-worn shirts are also being auctioned off to raise money for the NHS and Air Ambulances UK Charity.
Soucek later revealed the West Ham players had a video call with Antonio before the game.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
