RALPH Hasenhuttl was keen to praise referee Michael Salisbury after Saints fell to defeat at Molineux, but insisted his side could have had a penalty.

Goals from Raul Jimenez, Conor Coady and Adama Traore cancelled out a James Ward-Prowse stunner as Wolves secured a 3-1 victory.

Salisbury was taking charge of just a second Premier League match of his career, having largely operated in the Championship this season.

In a hostile first half, the Lancashire-born official awarded Wolves a penalty after a video assistant referee review, following a Jan Bednarek foul on Rayan Ait-Nouri.

But he was booed off by the home crowd at the break after challenges had flown in from both sides.

However, Saints boss Hasenhuttl insisted he was happy with Salisbury, instead frustrated VAR Robert Jones did not suggest for the man-in-the-middle to review footage after Oriol Romeu was challenged by Leander Dendoncker in the box, early in the second half.

Reflecting on the defeat, Hasenhuttl said: "I think it could be about a few decisive moments in such a tight game.

"I think we did a good job in the first 30 minutes and then conceded a penalty. Maybe you can give it. But when you give this, then you have to explain to me why you don’t give the penalty to us when Oriol Romeu kicked the ball and the only difference was that we kicked the ball before and he didn’t.

"The VAR checked it and when they say it is checked, the referee then doesn’t have to look. This is a pity, because the referee did a fantastic job today.

"When he looks at this situation, I’m sure that he also gives the penalty, because he had the game absolutely in his hands. He had a fantastic game today.

"Then the game goes in a different direction."