Martinez rues cruelty of game

Roberto Martinez accused Barclays Premier League officials of persecuting Wigan in their fight to stay in the Barclays Premier League after two more decisions cost his side dearly in today’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.

Latics boss Martinez insisted both Blues goals should have been ruled out for offside after watching Juan Mata’s 93rd-minute winner deny his side a result that would have lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time in almost four months.

Martinez’s men were heading for a well-deserved 1-1 draw when substitute Mohamed’s Diame’s 82nd-minute equaliser cancelled out Branislav Ivanovic’s opener, which was scored from a blatantly offside position.

That saw Wigan’s players surround referee Mike Jones and assistant Dave Bryan, but to no avail.

Martinez, who absolved Jones of blame, said: “If I speak with them, it will be a waste of time.

“Unfortunately, we have had too many times this season when it’s not about matter of opinions, it’s about clear calls that have been against us.

“I don’t want to go into the debate that it’s very easy to referee against little Wigan but, unfortunately, I believe this is the best league in the world and we should get better decisions than that.”

Citing previous decisions against Manchester United and Blackburn, he added: “The sending-off at Old Trafford that was rescinded, that was an incredible decision. The corner-kick that was never taken against Blackburn. And, last year, we came here and Fernando Torres impeded Ali Al Habsi and it was a goal. It’s happened too many times.

“I’m talking about the referee and I want to talk about our performance.

“We are second bottom and you don’t expect a team that is second bottom to come to Stamford Bridge and stop Chelsea in the manner we did.

“There is a feeling of real injustice in the dressing room and we don’t deserve that.

“Is it time to bring in technology?

“No. Is it time to bring in referees and linesmen who know the rules or the laws or who can just referee the game? You don’t need technology for that.

“I have to laugh about it because it’s really cruel.

“Today we would have gone 16th with a point and anyone who saw the game would agree my team deserved a point.

“Everyone says football can be very cruel. Well, from our point of view, today is as bad as it can get from a cruelty side of football.”