FA COMMUNITY SHIELD: ALEX FERGUSON has accused Michael Ballack of deliberately elbowing Patrice Evra during the build-up to Chelsea's second goal and heaped criticism on the referee Chris Foy after Manchester United were beaten on penalties in the Community Shield.
Evra was left sprawled on the turf after Ballack’s challenge 19 minutes from time and, after Michael Carrick surrendered possession, Chelsea broke downfield for Frank Lampard to convert while United appealed for the ball to be put out of play.
Foy was surrounded by United players after awarding the goal, and spoke to Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney, though Ferguson argued he had “made a rod for his own back” and implied Ballack was acquiring a reputation for play-acting.
“If the referee sees it properly, it’s a red card,” Ferguson said of Ballack’s body-check. “He’s elbowed him clearly. The referee’s in line and had a clear view so Ballack’s lucky. But he’s made a rod for his own back. He’d stopped the game twice already: when Nani was down and on a second occasion when Ballack went down. We’ve seen that before with him. I spoke to the referee (about that previous incident) and he said it was serious and Ballack needed treatment, though he was up straight away. Once he has done that, I do not understand why he has not stopped the game when Evra is lying down?
“The least he should have done is stop the game. When players are acting to get the game stopped, when they lose possession and lie down . . . it’s an area I’m concerned about. We’ve got to find a solution to that. You see it all the time when teams attack and then the other side go on a counter, so a player lies down in the penalty box to try and get the game stopped. It’s not right. The referee didn’t get it right today. You have to be consistent and he blew twice but not the third time.
“With a replay you can see Ballack has elbowed the boy, and if the referee had seen it properly, it is a red card. The referee is in line with it, and should have at least stopped the game, but he did not.
“Of course, then they went on and scored the second goal. It is hard to blame the Chelsea players, because it is a professional game. But it is making it very difficult for referees (to know) when players are acting to get the game stopped.
“It is an area I am concerned about and we have got to find a solution to that part.”
Ferguson continued: “If we are putting the responsibility back on the referees and they are deciding when the games should be stopped, then fine. He has got to be correct in that respect. As we saw today, he never got it quite right. You have to be consistent.”
The Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, insisted his players were unaware that Evra was stricken on the ground – the Frenchman rose swiftly enough once the goal had been given – with Lampard saying: “It’s up to the referee to stop it. There had been an earlier incident when Michael Ballack went down and the referee stopped it and all the United players moaned. The referee can stop the play and also the players can put the ball out.
“However, for sure they did not see Evra down on the pitch, because a Chelsea player would put the ball out if they saw an opponent down.”
United were actually down to nine men when Chelsea scored their second goal with Dimitar Berbatov having treatment on the sidelines, though their principal concern was the fitness of Nani.
The winger fell under a challenge from John Terry after an hour and dislocated his left shoulder, though he departed the arena giving a thumbs up when asked about the injury.
“We couldn’t put the shoulder back in and that’s the worrying part. He had done very well, and we are very pleased with his performance.” said Ferguson, who does not expect the player to feature in Portugal’s friendly in Liechtenstein on Wednesday.
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