‘It looked a pathetic decision’

Manchester United. I don’t think anybody knows, everybody is confused how Raheem Sterling can go through and have four or five touches on him last night and not get a penalty, then one touch here and it is a penalty.

“It looked a pathetic decision to me, but he goes down, similar to Old Trafford and last season here.”

Smith, below, was also angry that Ollie Watkins was sent off in the 89th minute for a second yellow card after a supposed dive, even though TV replays suggested United keeper Dean Henderson made contact. Smith said: “Ollie Watkins has got sent off for a second yellow – there is no way the referee can tell me he is convinced he hasn’t been touched. He didn’t even appeal. Yet we can’t appeal against the sending off because it’s two yellow cards.” Solskjaer praised his team’s fightback, which is the 10th time this season they have come from behind to win a game, and insisted they want to keep Manchester City waiting before they can celebrate the title, and keep the pressure on.

Solskjaer said: “It is very unlikely City won’t get the points they need but we just have to do our job the best we can. I believe in the boys and they believe in themselves.”

United defender Luke Shaw said: “Going 1-0 down in the first half we knew it was going to be a hard game, but we have been in this situation so many times – in the second half we came back much better.

“That’s a positive but we need to start the first half better than we normally do.

“We have the quality and we can’t keep counting on second-half performances. When we got the first goal, I felt we were going to win.”