Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo launches astonishing rant at Lee Mason and says he’s not fit to ref in Premier League

FURIOUS Nuno Espirito Santo confronted referee Lee Mason and told him he does not want to see him anywhere near a Wolves game ever again.

Molineux chief Nuno said this was not the first time he had taken issue with Mason’s officiating and claimed the Bolton ref “does not have the quality” to handle top-flight games.

Nuno Espirito Santo launched a blistering attack on Lee Mason after Wolves’ 2-1 defeat to BurnleyCredit: Getty

Nuno claimed Lee Mason isn’t fit to referee in the Premier LeagueCredit: EPA

The Portuguese boss fumed: “I just don’t want to see him any more, I told him I hope he does not whistle a game of ours again.

“The referee did not have the quality for a Premier League game, this is a problem we know we had with Lee Mason before.

“He cannot control the players, the players are constantly arguing. The other referees let the game flow.

“It’s not about the crucial mistake or decisions, it’s how he handles the game. The players get nervous, he whistles from the noises from the players.

“We are talking about the best competition but he does not have the quality to whistle the game.”

That rant overshadowed a dominant display by Burnley, who leapt out of the drop zone into 16th thanks to goals from Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood.

Fabio Silva won and scored an 89th-minute penalty — conceded by Burnley sub Josh Benson before he had even touched the ball — to give Wolves a lifeline but justice was done as the hosts held on for the win.

The Clarets have taken 12 points from seven games, with the annual hiding at ­Manchester City the only blot on their recent record, which now finds them just a point behind Arsenal with a game in hand.

Understandably, Burnley boss Sean Dyche had no problem with Mason’s refereeing, though he was disappointed VAR did not punish Joao Moutinho after he appeared to kick out at Josh Brownhill.

Dyche said: “In football now, every touch is a foul and yet their lad stamps on ours and there is no foul. How that is not a sending off I don’t know.

“I’ve no problems with the refs, it is really difficult now. The three most difficult jobs are the managers and the referee. I don’t think any game is easy for referees at the moment.”

Barnes’ firm downward header after 35 minutes was his first goal in 13 months and the amount of time he held his arms aloft in celebration showed what a relief it was.

To be fair, Barnes did miss the second half of last season having undergone a hernia operation. But the striker has had plenty of chances to open his account since returning.

Another of those went begging eight minutes before Barnes finally registered a goal in 2020.

He shot straight at Rui Patricio’s legs after Nick Pope’s long clearance put him through one on one with the Wolves keeper. But it did not take Barnes long to justify Dyche’s decision to start him, replacing Jay Rodriguez in the only change from the 0-0 at Aston Villa last Thursday.

And a disappointing Wolves side never looked like ruining the striker’s big night.

It was hard to believe Nuno’s side had beaten Chelsea and Arsenal within the last month.

Brownhill clipped the Wolves bar with a 25-yard thunderbolt just before Wood doubled the home team’s lead.
Ashley Westwood’s free-kick was headed back across the box by Ben Mee and, after a mad scramble, the ball fell kindly for Wood, who smashed it home.

It was the first time Burnley had scored two at Turf Moor since February but they will be disappointed not to have added to it, Wood and Barnes both having further chances.

Wolves finally threatened as Ruben Neves’ thunderous volley brought a smart save from Pope, before Silva’s penalty gave them false hope.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk