Wenger conceded that Campbell had fouled the striker, but also backed referee Andre Marriner's decision to only show a yellow card.

BBC: Arsene Wenger points to Arsenal desire

At the other end, United were perhaps unfairly denied a penalty by referee Andre Marriner when Hernandez's shot hit the outstretched arm of a sliding Gary Cahill.

BBC: Manchester United 1-0 Bolton

Ten minutes after the break referee Andre Marriner sent Boyce off for a second bookable offence (the first was for unsporting behaviour) after he was adjudged to have fouled Ameobi, despite getting the ball.

BBC: Newcastle 2-2 Wigan

Portsmouth's rearguard was severely hampered when Hreidarsson was adjudged to have impeded Vassell as he ran on to Ireland's through ball on 40 minutes, a foul which referee Andre Marriner believed merited a straight red card.

BBC: Man City 3-1 Portsmouth

Late in the game, television pictures seemed to capture captain Steven Gerrard flashing what looked like a V-sign at referee Andre Marriner after the midfielder was booked but both Benitez and club officials have played it down.

BBC: Rafael Benitez hits out at Liverpool side as Wigan win

There were more crunching tackles than chances in a scrappy first 30 minutes, most notably when Manuel Da Costa caught Dempsey with an elbow to the side of the head that went unpunished by referee Andre Marriner.

BBC: Dempsey

The Clattenburg case came on the same afternoon as referee Andre Marriner earned the wrath of Everton manager David Moyes, who felt that Uruguay striker Luis Suarez should have been sent off for a bad tackle in Sunday's Merseyside derby against Liverpool, which ended 2-2 at Goodison Park.

CNN: SHARE THIS

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, who confronted fourth official Andre Marriner and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson after Rooney's equaliser, was infuriated by the penalty award - and was also animated throughout by what he clearly regarded as a succession of contentious decisions that he believed went in the home side's favour.

BBC: Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool