Chelsea files complaint against referee after loss to Man U

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo says the officials “ruined” the game as the Blues slumped to their first Premier League defeat of the season against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres were both given red cards in the space of five minutes just after the hour in United’s 3-2 win – with the Spaniard’s dismissal for diving disputed by Chelsea.

Chelsea also lodged a complaint to the Premier League match delegate over the alleged use of “inappropriate language” by referee Mark Clattenburg towards two of their players

A club spokesman said, “The match delegate will pass the complaint to the Football Association.”

Referees’ organisation Professional Game Match Officials later issued a statement which said, “PGMO is aware of the allegations and they are being treated with the utmost seriousness.

“Mark will co-operate fully and welcomes the opportunity for the facts to be established.”

United took advantage of Chelsea being reduced to nine men as Javier Hernandez scored a late winner from an offside position to leave Sir Alex Ferguson’s side a point behind the league leaders.

“The second yellow card [shown to Torres] wasn’t one and the decisive goal was offside,” said Di Matteo.

“It is a shame a game like this had to be decided in that manner by officials. Surely when the referee watches it he will realise he has made big mistakes.

“Fernando put the ball between Jonny Evans’s legs and he was kicked on the shin and went down. Whatever way you want to see it that is our foul and a yellow card for their player, not ours.”

“It is a shame because it was a good game of football with two good teams and the officials ruined it.”

Manchester United manager Ferguson admitted his side rode their luck with Hernandez’s winner, but believes Torres must shoulder the blame for his red card.

“We’ve never got breaks down here and had some terrible decisions against us in the last few years,” he said.

Culled from BBC