Five refereeing blunders
A major refereeing blunder hit the Premier League again this weekend as Roger East set off the wrong Sunderland player in the Black Cats’ loss to Manchester United, showing Wes Brown a red card for a foul committed by John O’Shea.
Here, we look at five other high-profile mistakes by Premier League referees.
Marriner sent off Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs by mistake during a 6-0 loss to Chelsea. His team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should have seen red instead for tipping a shot round a post with his hand.
Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher’s forearm smash on Pedro Mendes left the Tottenham man unconscious and requiring oxygen, but brought only a yellow card from Gallagher.
Mendes was on the receiving end again when neither Clattenburg nor his assistants spotted that Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll had spilled his long-range shot well over the line and no goal was given.
Poll disallowed what would have been a winning goal in the Merseyside derby when Liverpool keeper Sander Westerveld’s clearance cannoned off Don Hutchison and flew into the net.
Poll said he had already blown for full-time.
Top-flight referee Atwell was in charge of a Championship game between Watford and Reading made famous by his award of a ’ghost goal’.
Watford’s John Eustace knocked the ball wide of his own post and out for a corner, but Atwell, advised by his assistant, gave Reading a goal.
