Striker was booked for taking his shirt off celebrating
stoppage time goal that denied the league leaders. Plus: Mourinho
tight-lipped on Ivanovic red card
Keep your shirt on! Van Persie's celebration moves him one booking closer to a suspension
Robin van Persie scored a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser – only to be branded “stupid” by boss Louis van Gaal.
Van Persie rescued a point for Manchester United
and stopped Chelsea going eight points clear of champions and main
title rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with his
added-time leveller.
But the United striker
received a ticking off from manager Van Gaal for throwing his shirt
into the air in celebration – and earning a yellow card in the process.
Despite his delight at Van Persie’s goal, the Old Trafford boss said: “He did a stupid reaction after the goal.
“You can be excited, but you don’t have to pull your shirt off, because then you have a yellow card. It’s not so smart.”
Despite
rebuking Van Persie for his over-zealous celebration, Van Gaal was full
of praise for his United players for salvaging a point against the Premier League leaders.
United’s equaliser came from a free-kick awarded when Branislav Ivanovic tripped Angel Di Maria, the Chelsea defender earning a second yellow card and a subsequent red. Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea in pictures:
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Jose Mourinho refused to criticise referee Phil Dowd, for fear of facing an FA charge, but it was clear the Chelsea boss did not agree with the crucial free-kick decision.
“I
have no comments on the referee,” said Mourinho. “I prefer just to say
my feeling is we had a good first-half and a fantastic second-half.
“You
know I cannot speak [about the referee]. Some can and some don’t, and
one of the ones who cannot speak is me. You know what happens to me when
I do.”
Despite biting his tongue, Mourinho did let his guard
slip when he said: “I prefer to be in front [in the league] rather than
behind, because we have a little space for our mistakes – or the
referee’s mistakes.”
Van Gaal was in no doubt Ivanovic tripped Di Maria and deserved to be shown a second yellow card.
“I
have seen it on TV,” said the United boss. “Ivanovic kicked him twice.
Not once, but twice on the ankles. You can say maybe the first time is
coincidence but the second time, no.
“He did it twice and when you do that it is unbelievable. It was a free-kick.”
Reuters
2 strict? Ivanovic is given his marching orders by ref Phil Dowd
Although the Old Trafford club trail Chelsea by 10 points back in eighth spot, Van Persie claimed they can still challenge Mourinho’s side for the title.
“Of course we can,” he said. “There’s a long way to go. There’s only nine games been played and it’s not even halfway yet.
“In
my opinion we’re getting better every day. In training, and if you look
at games, you can see we are comfy on the ball and we’re playing
better.
“Now we have to stretch games longer. We extended that
into the hour and we try to aim to play like that for an hour and a
half.” Veteran striker Didier Drogba, 36, put Chelsea in front in the 53rd minute, before Van Persie’s late strike ensured a point each.
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