Bidding to re-establish a seven-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, United saw their advantage restricted to five points when they drew against Spurs 1-1. PHOTO: AFP
Wenger’s side slumped to a 2-1 defeat at London rivals Chelsea on Sunday, with their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League now also looking increasingly bleak.
“We started the same as against Manchester City (2-0 loss), we didn’t go for it and didn’t defend well,” said Wenger. “When you start 2-0 down in the big games it is very difficult. Chelsea played well but we gave them too much room and didn’t defend tight enough.
“And on top of that we were a bit unlucky because I felt it was a free-kick for the first goal and the second wasn’t a penalty. The referee could have given a yellow card to Ramires (for diving).”
Ferguson lashes out at penalty call
Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson was left to fume at a match official after Manchester United were denied a penalty in a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur that breathed new life into the Premier League title race.
Bidding to re-establish a seven-point lead over second-place Manchester City, United saw their advantage restricted to five points when Clint Dempsey lashed in a stoppage-time equaliser amid steadily descending snow at White Hart Lane.
Dempsey’s intervention deprived United of what would have been a very welcome victory, given the barrage of attempts at goal that the visiting defence had to weather in the second half of Sunday’s game.
Ferguson, though, reserved his ire for assistant referee Simon Beck, who kept his flag down despite Steven Caulker appearing to trip United substitute Wayne Rooney inside the Spurs 18-yard box in the 63rd minute.
Beck previously found himself the target of Ferguson’s anger after failing to flag when Didier Drogba scored a winning goal for Chelsea at Old Trafford in April 2010, and the United manager’s reaction proved he had not forgotten.
“It was a clear penalty kick on Wayne Rooney, but in no way was the linesman going to give that,” said Ferguson.
“He gave them everything else. We have not had a good record with this linesman — against Chelsea a few years ago he gave onside to Didier Drogba, who was three yards offside. You remember those things.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ