Ole Gunnar Solskjaer landed the punches his Manchester United team could not in a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, accusing Chelsea of attempting to influence officials with an anti-United propaganda drive and referee Stuart Attwell of a crass error over a handball he believed should have been given against Callum Hudson-Odoi.
“From here it looked like it might have been a handball by our player [Mason Greenwood] but when you see it on the video it’s clear, and it’s taken two points away from us,” he said.
“I can’t say [what the referee said to the United players] because that’s not going to be good for him.”
His interrogator repeated the testimony of United’s Luke Shaw. “Shaw said the referee told Harry Maguire he didn’t want to give it because there would be controversy”.
“Exactly,” Solskjaer replied. “I didn’t say that and I don’t want to cause controversy, but it’s not right, is it?”
And then the incendiary allegation. “It’s all these outside influences. Even the VAR talk before the game on Harry,” he said.
“You can read it on the [Chelsea] website. That’s cheeky, that’s actually cheeky when they put that on the website. That’s influencing referees, putting pressure on them to give penalties against us.”
The offending reference taken from the club website read: “The Man United skipper’s actions will also be under scrutiny again on Sunday after his penalty area tangle with Jamal Lascelles last weekend. In recent Chelsea meetings the Red Devils’ centre-back 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.”
Not surprisingly, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who protested furiously with Solskjaer over the 16th minute-incident, had a different view of the episode.
“How can this be an intervention? The player in red handles it and we are checking for a penalty? Why does the referee have to see this?” he said.
“You watch it for one second on the iPad and you see it. The referee did everything right. I don’t understand why he needs to check it.”
Though the VAR dispute set the Sky Sports commentary and social media alight, of greater influence on outcomes with the failure of the big ticket sellers in both teams to make a difference.
Solskjaer lamented his team’s lack of quality with the ball, Tuchel the absence of composed feet around the box. The draw suited United better since it preserved their six-point advantage and took them one clear of Leicester in second.
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