FORMER Premier League referee Mike Dean has rubbished claims that Manchester United get favourable decisions.
The former official has labelled the idea that United get more decisions than other teams as “absurd”.
Dean insists that all teams are treated the same and even admitted that he has got on the wrong side of former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson during his time as a referee.
But despite Sir Alex’s infamously fiery temper, Dean has said he was never on the end of one of his “hairdryer treatments”.
The VAR and former man in the middle has been speaking about Stuart Attwell’s decision to give United a penalty at the weekend.
Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot with the penalty crucial in the Manchester club’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
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Speaking to the Mail Online, he said: “It’s absurd to think that an official would walk out on to that pitch feeling as if he has to do United any favours. That includes Saturday’s referee Stuart Attwell.
“You may think their penalty against Nottingham Forest was harsh, but there was enough in Danilo’s challenge on Marcus Rashford for it to be awarded.
“Attwell saw that Rashford was caught by Danilo and VAR Robert Jones verified that it was not a clear and obvious error.”
Dean even said that he used to love refereeing at Old Trafford and dispelled any rumours of favouritism towards United by labelling it as a “myth”.
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He said: “It’s a myth that Manchester United get favourable treatment from referees at Old Trafford. I was never frightened of refereeing there. I loved it.”
And the 55-year-old can even recall upsetting Sir Alex in the name of ensuring he made the right decisions on the pitch.
But he admitted he was thankful he was never on the end of one of the Scots’ telling offs.
He explained: “He [Sir Alex Ferguson] wasn’t the happiest when I awarded Hull City a penalty at Old Trafford in November 2008.
“Despite United going on to win the game 4-3! – but he was largely a gentleman.
“Not once did he come banging down my dressing room door to give me the 'hairdryer treatment'. I've got no hair to dry anyway!”
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