Chelsea Boss Claims Manchester United Are Only Ahead Thanks To Refs

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Jose Mourinho might have left Chelsea but that doesn’t stop them continuing their siege mentality under Avram Grant. The Blues coach appears in today’s Independent, claiming that United’s loftier league position is due to the preferential treatment they receive from officials.

“If you look at it, the difference between us and United is two points – and that is down to the referee,” he said.

This claim is in response to the red cards received by Jon Obi Mikel at Old Trafford in September and Michael Essien at Derby last week. For the former, Chelsea were also charged and fined £30,000 for crowding around the referee, rather than obeying the rules of playing to the whistle and agreeing that the referee’s decision is final.

It’s all too easy for Grant to conveniently forget that Joe Cole was guilty of a horrendous challenge at Old Trafford two months ago and escaped with a yellow card. Also, why did Michael Essien decide to raise his hands to protect the ball in the dying minutes of the Derby match? Why did the referee not blow his whistle for the blatant foul on Giles Barnes seconds before Chelsea scored their second last weekend? And why was Kenny Miller’s ‘goal’ disallowed when he was clearly in an onside position.

Unfortunately, the blue-tinted spectacles are of such a strong prescription that there is more chance of Derby County winning the title than Chelsea admitting whe they are in the wrong.