Credit: Sky Sports and Imago

Max Wilkins

Sat 18 April 2026 18:12, UK

Mike Dean was left conflicted as Leeds United were awarded a late penalty against Wolves on Saturday.

The Whites returned to Elland Road knowing that a win would send them ever closer to survival in the Premier League.

That is exactly what they got as goals from James Justin, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin made all the difference in Yorkshire.

The LS11 outing wasn’t without its controversy, however, as the third goal of the afternoon came after a tough decision for referee Farai Hallam.

Calvert-Lewin won and scored a penalty against Wolves, but could a red card have been shown before the spot kick was taken?

Mike Dean reveals how Hugo Bueno avoided red card vs Leeds United

Daniel Farke’s side certainly came into a clash with the Old Gold as the favourites based on their shocking form this camapign.

That showed on the pitch as the hosts dominated the stats and sealed a victory to prove how much better they were on the day.

A 2-0 win would have been enough for the Elland Road faithful to go home happy, but making it three only added a cherry on top.

The question for many will now be whether Hugo Bueno should have been sent off after fouling Calvert-Lewin and conceding a penalty.

There is an element of the Englishman catching the Wolves man, but it can also be said that the striker was pushed to the ground.

Former referee Dean tussled with the potential red card decision as he shared his instant reaction live on Sky Sports News.

He said: “It could be a red card. His get out will be the tangle of legs, but there is a push in the back at the same time. So it will be the benefit of the doubt for me. It’s hard.”

Leeds secured victory over Wolves, so this decision doesn’t truly matter, but it still makes for an interesting conversation in LS11.

What did the Premier League say about the Beuno foul in Leeds vs Wolves?

There are certainly contrasting opinions among different sets of supporters over the decision that referee Hallam eventually came to.

Many have suggested that Bueno actually got the ball, others say that it is a definite penalty, while Dean has suggested it could have been a red card.

That won’t help the Premier League and the scrutiny that VAR faces on a weekly basis, and they have since released a statement.

It reads, “The referee’s call of a penalty and a yellow card to Hugo Bueno was checked and confirmed by VAR, with it deemed that he tripped Calvert-Lewin as he attempted to play the ball.”

By suggesting that “he [Bueno] attempted to play the ball”, it negates any chance of a red card and saves the Spaniard’s skin at Elland Road.

Either way, it wouldn’t have changed the result, and Leeds would have still sealed a massive three points in the survival race.