OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER says a ‘cheeky’ post on Chelsea’s website may have influenced referees as Manchester United did not receive a penalty in their goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.
The United boss was referring to an article on Chelsea’s official site that referenced a controversial decision in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
The ball clearly flicked Hudson-Odoi’s hand in the penalty areaCredit: Getty – Pool
Solskjaer was not impressed with Attwell’s decisionCredit: PA:Press Association
Speaking to Sky Sports about the decision, Solskjaer said: “It’s all these outside influences.
“Even the VAR talk before the game on Harry [Maguire]. It’s cheeky when they put that on their website.
“That’s influencing the referees.”
When reporter Geoff Shreeves asked Solskjaer what he was referring to, he said: “You can go back and look on their website.”
Attwell decided not to award a penalty after the ball flicked Callum Hudson-Odoi’s hand in Chelsea’s box.
The referee went to the pitch-side monitor to watch a replay of the incident.
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Solskjaer was seen pleading with the linesman but it made little difference as the game finished 0-0.
His comments came just minutes after Luke Shaw claimed Attwell told Harry Maguire people would ‘talk afterwards’ if he gave a penalty.
Shaw told Sky Sports: “At the time I saw a handball but I wasn’t sure whether it was Mason [Greenwood] or Callum.
“I don’t know why they checked for a pen, if it’s not going to be a pen I don’t think they needed to stop.
“I even heard the ref say to H (Maguire) ‘if I say it’s going to be a pen, it’s going to cause a lot of talk afterwards’. I don’t know what happened there.”
United later insisted that Shaw misheard what was said between Atwell and Maguire.
The article on Chelsea’s website, which was published two days ago, criticised referring decisions from previous meetings between the sides.
It read: “In recent Chelsea meetings the Red Devils’ centre-back [Maguire] has survived VAR reviews of a potential penalty foul on Cesar Azpilicueta and violent challenge on Michy Batshuayi that may well have affected the outcome.”
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Solskjaer says Man Utd are not scoring enough after disappointing goalless draw with Chelsea
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
