Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer draws a line under Chelsea refereeing controversy

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer maintained that Manchester United have forgotten about the furore to engulf their draw at Chelsea on Sunday.

Both Solskjaer and Luke Shaw escaped punishment by the Football Association for comments made surrounding Stuart Attwell’s decision-making process at Stamford Bridge.

Attwell chose not to award United a penalty when Callum Hudson-Odoi appeared to handle inside the Chelsea box, with Shaw later suggesting he opted not to give it to avoid controversy. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has described the refereeing controversy in Manchester United’s goalless draw with Chelsea on Sunday as ‘water under the bridge’ 

Manchester United were enraged after being denied a penalty against Chelsea on Sunday 

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Greenwood challenged for the ball, which struck their arms

Stuart Attwell consulted replays on the pitchside VAR screen but didn’t overturn his decision

‘It’s water under the bridge. You move on to the next one,’ Solskjaer said. ‘We all know they are high pressure situations.

‘We have to accept decisions. All my focus has been on Crystal Palace, I’ve not looked back on that.

‘The referees have a difficult enough job without extra pressure. Let’s leave them to it and make as many good decisions as they can.’

United travel to Crystal Palace on Wednesday night still without Paul Pogba, who has as yet not returned to training.

Solskjaer’s side could be 15 points adrift of leaders Manchester City by kick-off after a run of only two victories from their last seven league outings. The Norwegian praised his squad’s attitude towards the truncated season.

‘We enjoy being as close to the top as possible,’ he added. ‘That’s the Premier League. The pressure hasn’t been there at all. The quality of the opposition, the tactics, the standards and demands of the season – we’re in the Europa, FA Cup – it’s the strangest year of all. Pressure, no. It’s just the Premier League.

‘Nobody has surprised me because we know what they’re capable of. I’m impressed how they’ve handle the whole situation, the pandemic, not being able to have your social life and switch off from football. You go to the cinema, out for a meal.

‘Now it is relentless. Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday. I’ve been impressed, that’s the biggest message. We didn’t live in the Second World War thankfully and these times and restrictions have almost been as harsh. The way they’ve dealt with it is absolutely brilliant.’