O'Neil 'could afford himself a broad smile'

It was not quite the last laugh he would have relished, but Gary O'Neil could afford himself a broad smile and flash of sparkling teeth as I spoke to him for Match of the Day.

When Wolves fell behind against Crystal Palace on Saturday he responded with a triple substitution.

The Molineux crowd was not impressed, at least not with the personnel involved - "you don't know what you're doing" was their emphatic verdict.

Yet, 10 minutes later, Wolves were ahead. The changes had worked and the quality of the goals they had scored was impressive.

The manager could enjoy a moment of vindication to punctuate a "tense atmosphere" - at least until the Palace equaliser he felt was avoidable but was most certainly deserved.

Indeed, the visitors thought they scored a stoppage-time winner but the O'Neil smile returned when, for once, he could discuss a refereeing decision in Wolves' favour.