Redknapp angry at ref for Nani goal

(GSM) – Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has directed his anger at referee Mark Clattenburg after allowing Nani’s controversial goal to stand.

Spurs lost at Old Trafford with a 2-0 scoreline with Nani claiming the second, which left Redknapp to claim that the official had failed to spot a handball by the Portuguese.

Nani scored in the 85th minute when Gomes had placed the ball down, seemingly thinking his side had been awarded a free-kick in his area.

But the Red Devils winger swooped on the ball to score and referee Clattenburg, after consulting with his assistant, allowed the goal to stand amidst furious protests from the Spurs players.

“It was handball. He put his hand on the ball and dragged it down,” Redknapp told ESPN.

“He should have been booked. The referee didn’t see him handball it, that’s why he’s allowed play to go on. The assistant referee has seen it, that’s why he’s flagged.

“He’s [Clattenburg] gone over and he’s told him what he did, he should disallow the goal. He’s handled the ball. If he’s handled the ball he should be booked and it’s a free-kick. So Gomes put the ball down for a free-kick.

“If you look at [Darren] Fletcher he’s called Nani to get back into position because he thinks we’re going to counter attack from the free-kick. Gomes puts the ball down to take a free-kick. It’s obvious. Why would he stand there and leave the ball there after he saw him handball it?”

Redknapp said his side may have been able to claim a point if the goal had been disallowed, despite the fact they had already trailed to Nemanja Vidic’s first-half header.

“You never know, the game lasts 90 minutes,” Redknapp said. “You dont know, we’re one down we may get another opportunity to score. You don’t know.”

However, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Spurs goalkeeper Gomes was to blame for United’s controversial second, claiming the Brazilian “should have known better”.

“It was bizarre,” Ferguson told ESPN. “No-one knew at the time what was wrong. One minute the goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and next it’s in his net. Nani looked back and looked at the referee and the referee said play on, so what can he do but put the ball in the net?

“You can look at the referee and look at the linesmen and blame them, but the goalkeeper should know better. He’s an experienced goalkeeper. I thought he made a mess of it. I thought it was a penalty first of all and I think Nani felt he handled the ball. But the referee didn’t blow for it.

“The referee played on because the goalkeeper took possession of the ball. He then went to take a free-kick thinking it was a foul. He made an error.”