Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says match delegate confirmed Manchester United were wronged against...

[ASFN Admin]

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that the match delegate for Manchester United’s surprise defeat against Sheffield United last week confirmed his side were on the wrong end of two controversial decisions as the manager cursed a “big momentum changer” in their season. Sheffield United’s first goal in their 2-1 victory at Old Trafford last Wednesday was allowed to stand even though replays showed Billy Sharp had barged into goalkeeper David De Gea as John Fleck’s corner came across. Later in the first half, United had an equaliser by Anthony Martial ruled out by referee Peter Bankes and his assistants for a similar incident after Harry Maguire was judged to have fouled Aaron Ramsdale as he challenged the Blades’ goalkeeper for the ball. The Video Assistant Referee, David Coote, reviewed the incidents at the time and felt there was no clear and obvious error by the referee because both were borderline and, as such, stuck by the official’s original calls. Yet Solskjaer says he has since seen the report from the match delegate - who tends to be a former player or manager until the referee’s assessor, who is usually an ex-reference - and he claimed both decisions were incorrect. The result ended United’s unbeaten 13-match run in the league and was followed by a goalless draw at Arsenal on Saturday and Solskjaer feels it derailed the momentum his side had built up. “We want to keep on trying to dominate games, we feel we’ve dominated them,” Solskjaer said ahead of the visit of Southampton on Tuesday night. “Of course, we need a little bit of brightness, to spark up the last third, to take chances. I don’t like to bring these up - the momentum shifted for us with the Sheffield United game - but I've got the delegates' report from the ref and the two decisions were wrong. “They've admitted their [Sheffield United’s] goal should have been disallowed and our goal should have stood. That's a big, big momentum changer for us. You're more likely, when you go 1-0 up rather than 1-0 down, to go on and win that game. “So that's fine margins and it has been the way this season - fine margins. You hit the post, it goes in or it goes out, sometimes you're lucky with decisions, sometimes you're not. We've got to focus on this game [against Southampton] and I'm sure the results and performances will come.”

Continue reading...