TV pundit joins the Dean attack

TV pundit, former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon, has every sympathy with the Irons fans who saw the team’s chances of beating United wrecked by referee Mike Dean.

Reporting for NBC, Dixon said after the game: “The Hammers fans have a real case. At the time I didn’t believe it was a sending off and after replay upon replay it’s obvious it wasn’t.

“Mike Dean watched what was happening and followed the ball and didn’t even look likely to give a free kick. Then maybe he heard a scream from Jones or something and he decided to think about it before reaching for a red card.

Until then there was nothing in his body language to suggest he was going to do anything. He clearly wasn’t sure and if you are going to send a player off you have to be sure.

“That changed the whole dynamic of the game and West Ham can feel very hard done by.”