Captain Karl Henry insists Manchester City’s second goal against Wolves should never have been allowed.

The 69th-minute free-kick by Javier Garrido proved the moment of no return for Mick McCarthy’s side in the 3-0 Molineux defeat.

But it only came after Craig Bellamy was offside in the build-up. “I think the linesman had to put his flag up, but he missed it,” said Henry.

“If he’d have given it, we wouldn’t have conceded the second goal and maybe we could have nicked something from the game.

“Bellamy went for the header with Jody Craddock in an offside position, so he had to be interfering with play. From that, the ball eventually ended up in the back of our net.

“I didn’t think the decision was clear-cut, but I don’t think the officials gave us a lot all night.”

But although they signed off the decade with successive scoreless defeats in three days, Henry is convinced Wolves are heading in the right direction.

“I think we’d all have taken our position if we’d been offered it at the start of the season, especially after the last two performances,” he said.

“We’ve played well against Liverpool and City – it was only when we went down to 10 men that Liverpool got their break – it’s just the two results that have been disappointing.”

Henry’s thoughts echo those of the manager, who said: “If you’d said after the Birmingham game we’d have the points we’ve got and be in the position we’re in, we’d have all been happy.”