Manchester United Football Club News

• Nickname:Red Devils
• Founded:1878
• Manager:Sir Alex Ferguson

• Ground:Old Trafford
• Capacity:68,174

Fergie berates referee Wiley

04 Oct 2009 - 10:59:11

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Sir Alex Ferguson turned the spotlight on referee Alan Wiley after Manchester United got out of jail with a last-gasp 2-2 draw against Sunderland on Saturday evening.

The champions salvaged a point from a game in which they were never ahead after a last-gasp own goal from Anton Ferdinand denied the Wearsiders a famous win at Old Trafford.

Wiley was the fourth official for last month's highly-charged Manchester derby, which United won deep into a controversial amount of added time.

However, Ferguson - who also became involved in several heated disputed with four official Mike Dean - slammed the fitness levels of Wiley.

"I was disappointed with the referee," said the United boss. "He didn't add on any time for the goal. He played four minutes and two seconds.

"He was also walking up the pitch for the second goal needing a rest. He was not fit enough for a game of that standard.

"The pace of the game demanded a referee who was fit. He was not fit. It is an indictment of our game.

"You see referees abroad who are as fit as butcher's dogs. We have some who are fit. He wasn't fit.

"He was taking 30 seconds to book a player. He was needing a rest. It was ridiculous."

Meanwhile, a disappointed Ferguson admitted that United had to "rescue" a game in which they played poorly.

"We rescued a game in which we played so badly," he told MUTV.

"Our passing was just not what I expect of the team, right throughout the game.

"It's always disappointing not to win your home games. We didn't make a lot of chances in the game and I didn't think our quality in the final third was good enough to create chances.

"We have to say it was an off day. You get them sometimes, we don't enjoy them but you do get them."