Why Clattenburg's day went rapidly downhill with Torres' dodgy dismissal

Mark Clattenburg was having a good game at Stamford Bridge - and then something changed his attitude and demeanour.



I have heard and read that his performance was 'disgusting' and 'terrible'.



Now I am obviously a former referee who will try and see things from his perspective but I am also quite happy to criticise refs' performances.



Centre of attention: Mark Clattenburg got big calls wrong at the Chelsea v Manchester United match

However, this condemnation of Clattenburg feels rather like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I feel he was refereeing well, applying a lot of common sense and allowing a great game of football to develop until the point when law dictated that he had to reduce Chelsea to 10 men with the dismissal of Branislav Ivanovic.



Up until that point my notes on the game read:



Opening passage of play: Clattenburg looks on top form. Fitness excellent and letting the game flow. Surprised that no action taken when Ivanovic commits straight-leg sliding tackle on Patrice Evra. Replays show poor challenge which the Chelsea defender gets away with.



22 minutes: Poor foul by Michael Carrick on Ramires. Again no caution but Clattenburg uses the public rebuke to make Carrick and all players aware that they are getting close to a caution. Really good management technique shown, strength but understanding.



43 minutes: Wayne Rooney is fairly dispossessed and immediately jumps up and chases the Chelsea player. It is obvious that he is going to retaliate and foul him and when he does, right on the edge of the Manchester United 18-yard area, Clattenburg rightly gives the free-kick and cautions Rooney. It is a routine caution and Chelsea score from the free-kick.



Flying in: Wayne Rooney was booked for this foul on Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard

45 minutes: Fernando Torres flies through the air and kicks Tom Cleverley in the chest. Whatever his intention, the fact is that the wild, high challenge was likely to endanger the safety of the opponent and, therefore, technically should have resulted in a red card. Clattenburg only give a yellow card to the Spaniard which I think is his only clear error in the first half and one that is understandable and consistent given the referee's approach throughout the period.



At half-time Clattenburg will have chatted with his assistants and been happy with their performance - their effect on the game had been nothing but positive.



After Chelsea equalise, it is clear that Clattenburg is aware that the game is going to be tight and I notice that he is running hard to get into optimum viewing positions and working hard with players to keep them calm. His approach is working.



Early exit: Branislav Ivanovic was sent off for his challenge on Ashley Young

62 minutes: Robin van Persie turns his defender who holds him but cannot prevent a through ball to Ashley Young. Clattenburg plays a good, but not difficult advantage – had he given the foul then the sequence of events would not have happened.



Young is tripped by Ivanovic when through on goal and Clattenburg gives the free-kick. He is then seen to use his communication equipment to double check with his assistant that Young was clear through on goal and had an obvious scoring opportunity.



Marching orders: Chelsea defender Ivanovic is shown the red card by Clattenburg

The assistant confirms this and Ivanovic is shown the red card. It is perfect technique and the correct decision; Clattenburg's second such dismissal in two weeks after he sent James Milner off last weekend.



68 minutes: Torres gets a through ball and squares up Jonny Evans. Torres hits the deck and at full speed it looks like he's gone to ground easily having played the ball too far ahead.



There must be doubts for Clattenburg, who had been in a great position. As he marches up to Torres and produces the yellow and then red card, I feel that he must have been 100 per cent sure that there was no contact from Evans.



Fast and furious: Fernando Torres took a tumble as he went past Jonny Evans

69 minutes: Replays are showing that there probably was some contact from Evans – if only Clattenburg had access to them.



74 minutes: Javier Hernandez scores and Clattenburg looks over to his assistant to check for offside. There is no flag so the goal is awarded. Clattenburg looks aware of the possibility of offside and gets away from Chelsea players' protests.



76 minutes: Clattenburg, looking flustered, becomes involved in an exchange with Jon Obi Mikel which results in the Chelsea man being cautioned for dissent. The home crowd are really getting on Clattenburg's case and he looks understandably uncomfortable. Decisions are now being questioned by all players as the pressure mounts.



Off: Torres was sent off after a second booking... but replays showed their was contact

90+1 minutes: Antonio Valencia is cautioned for simulation - this looks like a tit-for-tat levelling up as again there appeared to be contact between the players.



Final whistle: Clattenburg is joined on the field by assistants and leaves to a chorus of boos and catcalls. He looks unhappy and disappointed.



What looked like another fine performance in a pulsating game has been marred by an incorrect dismissal and an offside goal.



The latter was out of Clattenburg's control but he will regret the Torres red card when he sees the replays.





