Moyes Rues Ref Calls

David Moyes was unhappy with some of Howard Webb's refereeing decisions during Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day, particularly Ashley Young's rejected penalty appeal in the second half.

Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood thought a penalty should have been given for Hugo Lloris' challenge on Young, but that is of little consolation to Moyes, whose side fell to a fourth Premier League home defeat in 2013/14, despite a performance which he says contained positives.

Moyes told MUTV: "We didn't get the breaks when we needed them and had an unbelievable decision, when the referee didn't give a penalty kick. I just can't believe he didn't give a penalty and a red card for the challenge by [Hugo] Lloris on Ashley Young.

"I think people will have to look into it and understand why he doesn't give that decision. If it happened in the middle of the pitch and a centre-half or midfield player did that with his foot high, he'd be sent off. His challenge was late, the ball had gone and he followed through. So it's got to be a penalty and a sending-off and he didn't give it."

At his post-match press conference, the United boss added: "All I can tell you is that was a stonewall penalty. If that is not given, well, I don't think we’ll have any more in the Premier League this season."

Moyes rejected the notion that Young had been looking for the foul, asking: "How could he play for it? The goalkeeper has come out for it, Ashley got to the ball before him... how could he play for it? The boy goes right through him."

Goalscorer Danny Welbeck also had a spot-kick appeal waved away having gone down in the box after darting past Vlad Chiriches, while a booking for Adnan Januzaj also riled the boss. "The one on Welbeck could have been given as well [and] have you seen that decision [for Januzaj’s booking]? That's a terrible decision. Adnan got bumped, the boy's tried to edge him, to bump him off the ball, that was a bad decision."

Despite his frustrations with the officials, Moyes accepted that his side could have dealt better with the two Spurs goals which both came from counter-attacks, and added that United's good play required more ruthless finishing.