Ole Gunnar Solskjaer launched a furious tirade at ‘outside influences’ having an impact on referees in Manchester United games this season, following the stalemate with Chelsea. The 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge was marked by a controversial moment in the first half when United were denied a penalty for what appeared to be a Callum Hudson-Odoi handball. Referee Stuart Attwell was told by the VAR to consult the screen on the side of the pitch, but after doing so decided against awarding United a spot-kick.
Ole gunnar Solskjaer said: “Yep, 100 per cent. Especially when they stop it and he walks across to watch it. Even from here you think it’s a handball and it’s our player that does it. But when you look at it from the video, it’s taken two points from us.”
Luke Shaw had earlier told the Sky cameras about the referee’s conversation with Harry Maguire about why a penalty wasn’t given.
Luke Shaw said: “The ref even said to H [Maguire] that ‘if I say it is a pen then it is going to cause a lot of talk afterwards’. H got told it was a penalty.”
Shreeves put Shaw’s comments to Solskjaer, who vented his fury about comments in the media from other teams — and managers — which the Norwegian believes are denying United penalties. Solskjaer also referred to an article on Chelsea’s official website which referenced a challenge from Maguire on Cesar Azpilicueta that went unpunished by the referee in the October 0-0 between the sides at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “I can’t say, because that’s not going to be good for him. Of course it is [concerning]. I don’t want to cause controversy but that’s not right, is it? It’s all these outside influences, VAR talk from [Chelsea] about Harry – that’s cheeky putting it on their website, that’s influencing referees. You can read what they’re saying about Harry Maguire, putting pressure on referees to give penalties against us. We’ve seen a manager, was it Frank [Lampard] that started it? There’s loads of talk about us getting penalties when there is no doubt whatsoever. And now, today, we should have had a penalty. That’s as clear as it is.”
United have since insisted Shaw misheard the exchange between Maguire and Attwell.
