Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has again hit out at Premiership referees, this time suggesting that officials may have been 'instructed' not to award penalties to the Red Devils.
Wayne Rooney's stunning volley launched a second-half fightback which saw United beat Newcastle 2-1 at Old Trafford yesterday to close the gap on Arsenal to a single point in the battle to finish runners-up to Chelsea.
However, Ferguson was still furious that referee Neil Barry failed to award his side a penalty when Neale Barry and Alan Smith both tumbled to the ground in the Newcastle penalty area.
Instead, Barry waved play on, leaving a frustrated Ferguson to recall the debatable penalty United were awarded when Rooney dived under Sol Campbell's challenge against Arsenal earlier this season as the legacy for what he believes is starting to look like a conspiracy.
"It is getting ridiculous now," he said. "I am not sure if they are instructed but it is looking sinister to me. That is the same referee who gave Portsmouth a penalty against us for the slightest tug by Rio Ferdinand and also denied us an absolute certainty when Louis Saha was fouled in the Carling Cup semi-final against Chelsea," Ferguson complained.
"Since that penalty kick against Arsenal, it seems to me we are not going to get another no matter what the circumstances. One of our players will need to get shot for us to get one."
Ferguson's comments ignore the facts that his side have been awarded two spot-kicks since the Arsenal encounter - both of which were converted by Ruud van Nistelrooy - and that from 1993 to April 2004 only one penalty was scored by a visiting team at Old Trafford.
