Premier League - Bruce slams ref over Chelsea winner

Eurosport - Mon, 02 Mar 13:35:00 2009

Steve Bruce has again questioned the referee's handling of Wigan's defeat at Chelsea, admitting it has 'left a bad taste' in his mouth.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Premier League Wigan Athletic manager Steve Bruce (right) and assistant Eric Black - 0

Latics were on the brink of a point at Stamford Bridge on Saturday after Olivier Kapo's neat finish had cancelled out John Terry's early volley.

However, in injury-time, Frank Lampard headed home the winner for Chelsea, with Bruce insistent the midfielder pushed Latics captain Mario Melchiot.

Referee Lee Probert allowed the goal, but Bruce is adamant the incident only highlighted the unfavourable treatment smaller clubs receive when they meet the Premier League's big fish.

"I really do question the manner in which the game was handled, and we did seem to have the stigma of being a small club playing against one of the big teams," Bruce told the Wigan Evening Post.

"What happened left a bad taste in my mouth.

"There was a foul by John Obi Mikel in the lead-up to the first goal, and a corner was given when Didier Drogba's shot went wide, even though it shouldn't have been.

"The worst one was in the last minute, when there was a blatant push by Frank Lampard on my skipper Mario Melchiot. It put Mario off. He had his shoulder pushed round in mid-air.

"The referee was 15 yards away and I thought he would give the right decision, but he didn't.

"My players deserve a big pat on the back for their performance though, and I thought we deserved something out of the game.

"Had the referee controlled the game better and made the right decisions, we would have come away with a 1-1 draw which we thoroughly deserved.

"I feel injustice to my players and I will defend them. They should have been celebrating a 1-1 draw on the bus home."

TeamTalk / Eurosport

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  1. Sorry shoo, unfortunately, there is a different between­ push and touch, go check your dictionary pls. Chelsea 4­ Life and after life

    From Dynamic, on Mon 2 Mar 2:28PM

  2. Sometimes defenders have to be strong in the box.­ Can't buckle under a little bit of contact.­ Defenders get away with similar in the box all the time­ to put off a shooter.

    From E, on Mon 2 Mar 2:24PM

  3. SB - Get glasses - Your rose tinted man u glasses have­ worn out

    From H C, on Mon 2 Mar 2:13PM

  4. what matters now is the three point bwhich Chelsea­ deserve, SB should go and reshape his team for their­ next opponent......Chelsea 4 life

    From asokoroabuja, on Mon 2 Mar 2:02PM

  5. Its ok Bruce. Looking at your reaction during the­ game,­ even I felt there might have been a case for you­ to­ feel annoyed. However after watching the replays,­ I­ simply cannot see any push. Melchit mistimed his­ jump,­ and then pretended to have been pushed. Thats­ just­ about it....

    From ItzJustMe, on Mon 2 Mar 1:58PM

  6. Gotta side with Bruce on this one. Its a clear push,­ not a @#$%e, but effective. After all, its not the­ severity of the push that makes it s a foul, but the­ effect. Lampard pushes just to enough so that the­ defender can't make a play. Ref doesn't get it­ right, but hey, thats football.

    From shoo, on Mon 2 Mar 1:52PM
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