• Premier League

Everyone in the stadium expected a penalty - Jol

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes referee Michael Oliver would have been a brave man if he had given a late penalty in Manchester United's 1-0 win at Old Trafford.

United were leading through Wayne Rooney's first-half goal when Michael Carrick appeared to kick Danny Murphy's standing foot as they chased the ball into the United area.

Oliver did not give the penalty but Jol felt he was in the minority who would have thought he had made the right decision.

Asked if it was a penalty, Jol told Sky Sports: ''I thought it was a difficult decision. I think if he had given the penalty he would have had to send Michael Carrick off. I think everyone in the stadium expected a penalty to be honest. You have to be brave to give a penalty away at Man Utd.''

Defiant in defeat, Jol was pleased with the way his team stuck to their task. ''I thought in spells we did ever so well. In the second half we stuck to our plan," he added. ''In the end we could have had a draw.''

United defender Jonny Evans admitted Oliver could have given the spot-kick. He said: ''You have a quick look to the referee but he's waved it away.Having seen it back again you accept he could have given it.''

The defender was pleased with the result but not the performance, which was below United's best. He added: ''It's a great result for us but were a bit disappointed with the performance. We managed to grind out a 1-0 victory and that puts us top again.''

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believed the referee might have had his own side's claim for a penalty also on his mind. Oliver also turned that appeal down although Ferguson admitted Carrick had fouled Murphy.

''I think they had a claim [for a penalty], no doubt," he said. ''We had a claim for a penalty in the first half when there was a clear hand ball. Maybe the ref was thinking about that. Michael Carrick has caught Danny Murphy's heel.''

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