Controversy ref Mike Dean "killed" West Ham with red card against Manchester United, says Slaven Bilic
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Slaven Bilic slammed Mike Dean’s decision to send off Sofiane Feghouli and claimed the referee’s early red card “killed” West Ham .
And Hammers boss Bilic accused Manchester United defender Phil Jones of “making a meal” of the challenge that led to his winger’s dismissal.
Feghouli was sent off for lunging in on Jones after just 15 minutes and the visitors eventually capitalised on their lengthy one-man advantage to canter to a sixth straight league win.
But after the 2-0 defeat Bilic said: “It was never a red card. It was a challenge from both of them.
"The more times I’ve seen it, it’s the other way round — it was Jones who made a more dangerous tackle than Feghouli. He got the ball, but went with the scissors. Feghouli’s foot was not high in the air, it was not deliberate.
(Photo: West Ham United via Getty)
(Photo: ikimages/REX/Shutterstock)
(Photo: Man Utd via Getty)
(Photo: PA)
“It was the key decision and it killed us. It put the game in a different perspective and was totally unfair for us. Phil made a meal of it, but you cannot blame him. Maybe he made a meal because he is the one who went dangerously and he is saving himself.
“I was very surprised. I wouldn’t have been happy with a yellow card [for Feghouli].
“I said to the fourth official and [Man United boss Jose] Mourinho, 'It’s not a yellow.' If it was yellow I’d say, 'Why so early in the game for nothing?”
Bilic was also fuming about the Red Devils' second goal, which Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored from an offside position.
He said: “It was a big offside for the second goal. When the players are sprinting it is hard for the referees. I am the first to say that. But the players were walking. They should spot this.”
Mourinho had little sympathy for the Hammers and claimed their Cheikou Kouyate could have seen red too, for an over-the-top challenge on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
He said: “I don’t feel sorry for West Ham. If you talk about decisions, we are the champions of bad decisions.
(Photo: Getty)
“When I play at home I have in my office everything recorded. After the match I can watch.
“I know immediately Zlatan versus Middlesbrough [an effort United had diallowed on Saturday] is a goal. I know minute 76 is penalty on Rashford [which was not given].
“When I play away, I don’t have access so I can’t comment [on those decisions] — or on Kouyate’s tackle on Mkhitaryan.”
BIlic insisted West Ham are “on the way up” despite slumping to a second successive defeat.
He saw enough in his 13th-placed side’s spirited response after going down to ten men to convince him they have nothing to worry about in terms of relegation.
Man United needed goalkeeper David De Gea to keep them in the game with vital stops from Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio before Juan Mata’s opener and Ibrahimovic’s late strike sealed all three points.
Bilic said: “I’m proud of the team, I told them after the game. If we continue to work hard and play for each other and play so good on the ball we don’t have to worry.
(Photo: Getty)
“We’re going to be high in the table. We showed today we can do it. We’re on the way up. I told my players that if we do this we will be alright in the table.
“Ten men against a team like this is very hard, but we had chances. We had that clear-cut opportunity [through Antonio]. They had one man more and their quality it drains you.
“We had to score the goal when you had the chance. That would have lifted us up but even with 10 men we didn’t sink. Or we didn’t crumble like in the last 10-15 minutes against Arsenal.
“I am disappointed with the result and frustrated by how we lost it, but I am proud of my players.”
Bilic also reiterated West Ham’s stance that star man Dimitri Payet is not for sale, following fresh talk of interest from his former club Marseille.
(Photo: West Ham United via Getty)
“We said that he started the season and we are moving up and forward and we want to keep our best players. He is definitely our best player and we want to keep him. He’s playing well, playing good. Recently he’s playing really good. He worked really hard today.
“Don’t forget we put in this amount of energy two days after a game [Saturday's loss away to champions Leicester]. He showed his quality and energy for the team. He had to defend a lot, very deep against [Antonio] Valencia. He doesn’t look troubled [by the speculation].”