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Sir Alex Ferguson blasts referee & claims draw with Birmingham City is 'terribly harsh' on Manchester United
Scot angry at Lee Mason for allowing late Bowyer equaliser
28 Dec 2010 22:47:00
By Gill Clark
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson couldn’t conceal his anger at the referee after a controversial late goal by Lee Bowyer salvaged a draw for Birmingham City.
The Red Devils looked to be heading for victory after Dimitar Berbatov had opened the scoring but were forced to settle for a draw after Bowyer scored after being set up by Zigic who looked to have handled the ball in the build up to the goal.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game the Scot blasted the officials for allowing the late equaliser but refused to blame his players for the late capitulation.
“[It’s a] handball, foul on the centre-half he went right through him, handball, if the referee can’t see that, what chance have you got?” explained the Scot.
“That’s why we expect in a game of that importance you need a referee to see that. If he can’t see that what chance have you got? I can’t fault my team tonight. They worked hard, they’ve run their socks off with little rest. It’s hard on them, it’s hard.”
Ferguson also insisted the result was “terribly harsh” on his side who he claimed had been the better team.
“I think it [the result] is terribly harsh, I think we outplayed them in the second half and we didn’t deserve that,” he added.
“But football’s a funny game, it’s a tight league, it’s a difficult place to come to here, every team that comes here has a difficult game.
"I think we deserved to win the game, we were the better team and maybe we should have finished them off after we went 1-0 up and the number of times we counter-attacked against them, we just needed a bit more care in the final pass or finish, but otherwise it’s just one of those days, unfortunate.”
Despite dropping two points, United remain top of the table and Ferguson remained bullish about his team’s title chances.
“I think we’ve a chance, at this moment in time there are five or six teams that are all contesting that area at the top of the league,” he said.
“I always say if you get to New Year and you are in that front position then Manchester United have a big chance then.”
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The Red Devils looked to be heading for victory after Dimitar Berbatov had opened the scoring but were forced to settle for a draw after Bowyer scored after being set up by Zigic who looked to have handled the ball in the build up to the goal.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game the Scot blasted the officials for allowing the late equaliser but refused to blame his players for the late capitulation.
“[It’s a] handball, foul on the centre-half he went right through him, handball, if the referee can’t see that, what chance have you got?” explained the Scot.
“That’s why we expect in a game of that importance you need a referee to see that. If he can’t see that what chance have you got? I can’t fault my team tonight. They worked hard, they’ve run their socks off with little rest. It’s hard on them, it’s hard.”
Ferguson also insisted the result was “terribly harsh” on his side who he claimed had been the better team.
“I think it [the result] is terribly harsh, I think we outplayed them in the second half and we didn’t deserve that,” he added.
“But football’s a funny game, it’s a tight league, it’s a difficult place to come to here, every team that comes here has a difficult game.
"I think we deserved to win the game, we were the better team and maybe we should have finished them off after we went 1-0 up and the number of times we counter-attacked against them, we just needed a bit more care in the final pass or finish, but otherwise it’s just one of those days, unfortunate.”
Despite dropping two points, United remain top of the table and Ferguson remained bullish about his team’s title chances.
“I think we’ve a chance, at this moment in time there are five or six teams that are all contesting that area at the top of the league,” he said.
“I always say if you get to New Year and you are in that front position then Manchester United have a big chance then.”
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provides the best breaking news online and our football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
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