Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said after his side drew 2-2 at home yesterday with West Brom thanks to a controversial 90th minute penalty, that the baggies had no reason to feel angry with the referee.
The midlands team were furious after Chelsea were awarded a penalty by referee Andre Marriner following what they claim was not a foul by Steven Reid on Ramires, yet Chelsea boss Mourinho says the referee made the correct decision.
“I am sure it was a penalty. I watched after the match from different angles and different speeds and no doubt it was a penalty,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.
“No doubt it is a free-kick against West Brom when they scored their second goal, so if somebody has to be upset with the referee’s work it is Chelsea and not West Brom.
“It is hard to accept when you think you are winning the game and you concede a penalty in the last minute, but the referee is one of the best in the country and one of the best in Europe.
“Today I didn’t like his performance. He made too many mistakes and all of them against us, but Andre is one of the best referees.”
West Brom manager Steve Clarke however did not see it in the same light as the Blues man telling Sky Sports: “My take on it is that it is no penalty. That is five points my team have lost this year because of late decisions on penalties.
“Southampton got a soft one, we had a stonewall penalty against Stoke which we didn’t get, and the decision today which cost us another two points. I’m sad, I’m angry, but I am also very proud of the players because we were magnificent today and deserved to get the three points.”
Eden Hazard’s late penalty managed to keep Jose Mourinho’s record of never having lost a league match at home intact, and when the Portuguese manager was asked about this he said:
“I didn’t think about it. If you ask me if I am happy because we didn’t lose, I am not happy because I wanted to win the game.
“To me it is not a big deal. One day I have to lose at home and the day I lose it will be a big day because it is a day to remember how many matches I was unbeaten.”
Mourinho admitted it was a tough game due to West Brom’s defensive approach, adding: “We played against a team that did not cross the midfield line.
“I am not criticising, far from it, they made it hard for us.”
