Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his Manchester United players are not divers and “none of them try to con the referee at all”. Before Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final Chelsea boss Frank Lampard suggested that United have “got a few decisions in their favour” in recent weeks.
Solskjaer said: “I’ll defend my players 100%. “Some ankles could have been broken this season. I just want them to be protected.” United are unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions and opponents have been angered by some recent decisions.
In midweek Crystal Palace were furious that they were denied a penalty when Wilfried Zaha tangled with Victor Lindelof, and then had a potential equaliser from Jordan Ayew ruled out by VAR for a very marginal offside.
And Bruno Fernandes won a penalty at Villa Park earlier this month which Villa boss Dean Smith called a “disgraceful decision”. Referring to that decision, Lampard said this week: “Fernandes is very clever in his movement. We saw that at Aston Villa to make something feel like a penalty where maybe it even isn’t.
