• Premier League

Ivanovic says Chelsea penalty should not have been

ESPN staff
March 3, 2011
Branislav Ivanovic felt Manchester United were hard done to © PA Photos
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Branislav Ivanovic has fanned the flames following Chelsea's controversial 2-1 win over Manchester United by admitting the winning penalty should not have been given.

Yuri Zhirkov tumbled under minimum contact from Chris Smalling but referee Martin Atkinson saw fit to point to the spot and Frank Lampard lashed home.

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing the prospect of an FA probe over his comments about Atkinson. The Scot was unhappy about a number of decisions, notably the penalty, and Blues defender Ivanovic feels he had a point.

"I find the penalty for Chelsea very dubious," he is quoted as saying in The Sun. "It was too easily adjudged, I have to admit that after seeing it again."

But the Serb did have words of sympathy for Atkinson, as he added: "I thought it was a penalty when Zhirkov fell but, afterwards, I saw it never was.

"But we were in a similar situation a couple of times earlier in the season and no one said anything."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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