Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson will not face a disciplinary charge over his criticism of linesman Darren Cann in Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Chelsea.
Ferguson’s joy at seeing his team come back from 3-0 down was tempered to an extent by his anger at Cann’s decision not to flag for a foul by Gary Cahill on Danny Welbeck after the Red Devils striker raced through in the first half.
The United boss thought Chelsea debutant Cahill should have been sent off as he was the last man, and launched an angry tirade against Cann. Ferguson said: "They should’ve had a man sent off... (but there was) nothing, no decision. That linesman (Cann), (has) given a penalty kick against us from 40 yards away last year against Liverpool, this year against Arsenal — and he can’t see that? He is all too happy to flag at Old Trafford for penalty kicks."
It is understood the FA ruled yesterday that the Scot was within his rights to criticise Cann, and that he did not question the assistant referee’s integrity with his comments.
The decision will come as a relief to the United manager, who was hit with a five-match touchline ban and a £30,000 fine last March after the same fixture. Then, after seeing his team lose 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, Ferguson incurred the wrath of the FA by claiming Martin Atkinson did not referee the game fairly.
Ferguson admitted after Sunday’s game that his team had lost two points, rather than gained one.
The Scot’s men were 3-0 down after 50 minutes but rallied to snatch a valuable point courtesy of two Wayne Rooney penalties and a late header from substitute Javier Hernandez.
United trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by two points going into a difficult run of fixtures against Liverpool, Tottenham and away at Norwich, who have only lost three times at home this term.
Rooney hopes the comeback will make City realise United should never be written off. "It can have a psychological impact, for sure," Rooney said.
"City will have been watching and probably went out at 3-0 thinking the game was over but we would like to think they saw how we fought back and saw our team spirit.
"We didn’t deserve to be 3-0 down. We controlled the game from the first minute. To concede two goals so early in the second half was a disaster but we stuck in there and never gave up.
"Most teams would lie down at 3-0 but we fought well. Even if we had lost 3-2 at least we could have come off and said we gave our all.
Meanwhile, Manchester United legend Bobby Charlton yesterday underwent minor surgery after being taken ill before the Laureus World Sports Awards in London.
The 74-year-old World Cup-winner had been due to receive an award but left London after starting to feel unwell and needed a minor operation, understood to be to remove a gallstone.
A statement from Laureus read: "Sir Bobby Charlton was unable to receive the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in person at the Laureus World Sports Awards in London this evening.
"Sir Bobby felt unwell on Sunday and returned to Manchester earlier today for minor surgery."
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson added: "Sir Bobby is fine, but it was felt he should go back to Manchester."
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