Solskjaer rages over penalty talk in United draw

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United are being negatively influenced by opposition managers referring to their penalty record after being denied a spot-kick in a 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Sunday.

United were furious that referee Stuart Attwell stuck to his original call not to award a penalty for handball by Callum Hudson-Odoi despite being asked to review the incident by VAR in the first-half.

The Red Devils have been awarded 22 penalties in the Premier League since the start of last season, four more than any other club, which led Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard to question why their sides failed to get the same treatment from officials.

“It’s all these outside influences. That’s influencing referees,” said an unusually irate Solskjaer.

“We’ve seen there is loads of talk about us getting penalties when there is no doubt about it and today we should’ve had a penalty, that’s clear.”

A draw does little for either side’s ambitions at the top of the Premier League.

Second-placed United now trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 12 points, while Chelsea remain a point outside the top four in fifth.

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United’s poor record against traditional top six opponents has prevented them maintaining a title challenge as they have now failed to win in seven league meetings with Chelsea, Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Five of those games ended 0-0 and Solskjaer admitted his side need to be better with the ball.

“Defensively our attitude, application and pressing was brilliant. With the ball it wasn’t good enough,” said the Norwegian.

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