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Football

28th Feb 2021

Luke Shaw says referee didn’t give penalty because it would “cause a lot of talk”

Simon Lloyd

United were denied a first half penalty at Stamford Bridge, despite the referee checking pitch-side monitors

Luke Shaw has said the referee decided against giving Manchester United a crucial penalty in their goalless draw at Chelsea on Sunday because it would “cause a lot of talk about it afterwards.”

Play was briefly stopped in the first half as the VAR official asked referee Stuart Attwell to review an incident where the ball appeared to hit Callum Hudson-Odoi’s hand in the Chelsea area.

Attwell decided not to give a penalty, much to the bemusement of United’s players and coaching staff.

Speaking after the game, Luke Shaw appeared to claim Attwell had told Harry Maguire he had not given the decision in favour of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men because of the controversy it would have caused.

“At the time I saw a handball but I didn’t know if it was Mason [Greenwood] or Callum.” Shaw told Geoff Shreeves after the full-time whistle.

“I just carried on, I didn’t even know there was a potential check. I don’t even know why they stopped it. If it’s not going to be a pen I don’t know why they stopped it.

“The ref even said to H(arry Maguire) – I heard him say – ‘If I say it’s a pen it’s going to cause a lot of talk about it after,’ so I don’t know what happened there.

“H said he got told it was a pen by VAR, so I’m not sure what’s gone on.”