Shaw says referee was scared to give spot-kick
MANCheSTeR UNITeD defender Luke Shaw has accused referee Stuart Attwell of refusing to award his team a penalty at Stamford Bridge because the official wanted to avoid a controversial backlash. In an incredible post-match interview, the left-back claimed Attwell told United skipper harry Maguire that he chose not to overturn his original no penalty call when Chelsea’s Callum hudsonOdoi appeared to handle in the area even though VAR had advised him to award a spot-kick. ‘The ref even said to h (Maguire): “If I say it’s a penalty then it’s going to cause a lot of talk about it after”, so I don’t know what happened there,’ said Shaw. ‘h said that they got told it was a penalty by VAR.’ Shaw’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added fuel to the fire with an explosive post-match interview of his own, insisting his team ‘100 per cent’ should have been awarded a spot-kick before accusing his fellow Premier League managers of influencing officials not to award United penalties. Jurgen Klopp, Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho are among the managers to have commented on the number of penalties United are awarded. Solskjaer also took aim at Chelsea for an article on the club website prior to the clash that appeared to suggest Maguire has had key VAR rulings awarded in his favour this season. ‘Yes we were denied a penalty, 100 per cent,’ Solskjaer said. ‘I don’t understand why. You can see it’s handball, it’s taken two points away from us.’ When asked about what Attwell allegedly said to United’s players, Solskjaer replied: ‘I can’t say, because that’s not going to be good for him. I don’t want to cause controversy, It’s not right, is it? ‘It’s all the outside influences, VAR talk before the game on harry (Maguire) when they put that on the website. Cheeky. That’s influencing referees. You can read what they’re saying about harry Maguire and putting pressure on referees to give penalties against us. ‘Was it Frank (Lampard), that started it? Loads of talk about us getting penalties when there’s no doubt, and, of course, today we should’ve had a penalty. ‘It’s gone now — but I’m a bit concerned we don’t get those penalties after what noises were being made about getting those penalties, so clearly there is a point of managers influencing the referees, which they shouldn’t do.’ Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel warned striker Tammy Abraham he needs to see a marked improvement from the england man after he was axed from the matchday squad yesterday. Abraham, who has been nursing an ankle niggle, remains the club’s top Premier League goalscorer this season with six goals — but his future is now under a cloud. The German said: ‘We have a strong squad, we only have Thiago Silva injured which means we have to take hard decisions. ‘Things are a bit difficult for him, not as easy as they should be. he needs to do what he does, train well, be in a good mood and accept it. ‘These moments arrive, there’s no other answer but to fight for his place in the squad — and I’m sure he will do it.’