Man United midfielder Darren Fletcher hasn’t had the best of weeks when it comes to decisions of referee’s, he has put that down to what Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said about him.
Fletcher has only just returned from injury for United, last Wednesday he has his feet taken out from under him against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League. The referee said no penalty; instead Fletcher was shown a yellow card for simulation. It was a blatant penalty and if United had got it, the match would have changed and we might have won it.
On Sunday, down at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea Fletcher took the ball off Ashley Cole. A dubious free-kick was given and an Chelsea scored from it.
On the 29th August, this year (2009), Man United beat Arsenal 2-1 at Old Trafford. United didn’t deserve the win and Wenger had a few comments about a certain person after the game.
Wenger criticized United’s style of play and said that a Man United player was constantly fouling and he wasn’t booked. This player is understood to be Fletcher.
After the 2-1 defeat, Wenger said: I have seen a player who plays on the pitch only to make fouls,'' he said. "For me, this is a point that is more urgent than diving.
"The players who are never punished, who get out of the game without a yellow card. I think it is more anti-football than a player who did what Eduardo did.
"Look at how many deliberate fouls some players get away with. That's a bigger problem because it cuts the flow of the game. And people pay to see football, not free-kicks.''
Fletcher now believes these comments are coming back to haunt him and he will now have to raise his game.
"It was clearly not a foul," Fletcher told The Manchester Evening News.
"I knew at the time and I have watched it again on the replay. I back-heeled the ball and Cole just jumps up in the air and the ref gives a foul.
"I think we are starting to see Mr Wenger's comments starting to influence referees which is a shame really.
"Now we have to raise our game and ensure these decisions are not affecting the game."
