Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the referees’ have a hard enough job without extra pressure ‘while trying to get Manchester United out of the Chelsea penalty shootout controversy … but just a month ago he was telling his’ good guys’ to’ do it MORE TO DISCUSS ‘!
- Manchester United missed a penalty during a goalless draw with Chelsea
- Callum Hudson-Odoi was not punished by a handball inside his own area
- Referee Stuart Attwell consulted the VAR replays, but did not overturn his decision
- Both Solskjaer and defender Luke Shaw criticized Attwell afterwards
- They escaped the FA’s punishment and Solskjaer wants to forget the incident
- United travel to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday night
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Manchester United had forgotten the furor of swallowing the draw with Chelsea on Sunday.
Solskjaer and Luke Shaw escaped the Football Federation’s punishment for comments made around Stuart Attwell’s decision-making process at Stamford Bridge.
Attwell chose not to award United a penalty when Callum Hudson-Odoi appeared to deal with the Chelsea box, with Shaw later suggesting he chose not to concede to avoid controversy.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described the referee controversy in Manchester United’s goalless draw with Chelsea on Sunday as “water under the bridge”
Manchester United was furious after denying a penalty against Chelsea on Sunday
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Greenwood challenged for the ball, which hit their arms
Stuart Attwell consulted replays on the VAR screen next to the field, but did not overturn his decision
“It’s water under the bridge. You move on to the next one, ‘said Solskjaer. ‘We all know that these are high pressure situations.
‘We have to accept decisions. My whole focus has been on Crystal Palace, I haven’t looked back. ‘
Solskjaer was asked how players from both teams flocked around Attwell as he went to the VAR monitor to make his handball decision.
He said: ‘The referees have a hard enough job without extra pressure. Let’s leave them alone and make as many good decisions as they can. ‘
It is in contrast to his words in early February, when he suggested that after United’s home defeat to Sheffield United, their ‘good guys’ should make more decisions.
In the 2-1 home loss to the Blades, Kean Bryan’s opening goal was allowed, although David de Gea was knocked down by Billy Sharp, before Anthony Martial saw a goal overturned after Harry Maguire fouled Aaron Ramsdale.
Solskjaer said on February 2: ‘I understand why the decisions were made. Unfortunately, they were against us and were wrong.
– Maybe we should have made more noise about it. We are a bunch of good guys: maybe we should really have made them look at this [on the VAR monitor] before the game starts again.
– I received the report from the delegate about the judge and both decisions were wrong.
Solskjaer had a different opinion about not putting pressure on the referees after Billy Sharp of Sheffield United was not penalized for this foul on David de Gea, with goalkeeper Kean Bryan
Anthony Martial also saw a goal overturned when Harry Maguire was tried for a foul on Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale
United travel to Crystal Palace on Wednesday night without Paul Pogba, who has yet to return to training.
Solskjaer’s team could be 15 points behind leaders Manchester City in the kick-off, after a series of just two wins in their last seven league games. The Norwegian praised his team’s attitude towards the truncated season.
“We like to be as close to the top as possible,” he added. ‘This is the Premier League. The pressure was not there at all. The quality of the opponent, the tactics, the standards and the demands of the season – we are in Europe, in the FA Cup – is the strangest year of all. No pressure. It’s just the Premier League.
‘Nobody surprised me because we know what they are capable of. I am impressed how they dealt with the whole situation, the pandemic, not being able to have their social life and disconnect from football. You go to the cinema, go out to eat.
‘Now it is relentless. Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday. I was impressed, that is the biggest message. Fortunately, we are not living in World War II and these times and restrictions have been almost as harsh. The way they handled it is absolutely brilliant. ‘
