EXCLUSIVE: Saints accuse Clattenburg! Top referee investigated for 'insulting and abusing' Lallana… and they demand Premier League keep him OFF their fixtures

Mark Clattenburg under investigation after being accused of 'abusing and insulting' Adam Lallana

Incident happened during Southampton's 2-1 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park

Clatten b urg declined Saints a penalty after Antolin Alcaraz handled in the penalty area



Lallana argued with Clattenburg and heated words were exchanged

Saints have asked that Clattenburg does not officiate another of their games until the investigation has been completed



Mark Clattenburg is being investigated by referees’ chief Mike Riley after Southampton accused him of ‘abusing and insulting’ their captain, the England star Adam Lallana.



Sportsmail can reveal that the extraordinary incident occurred in Southampton’s 2-1 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday.



Saints have written to the Premier League asking that Clattenburg is not appointed as an official for any of their matches until the investigation is over.



Clattenburg has a controversial style and it is understood the alleged insult was directed at Lallana after the referee turned down Southampton penalty appeals late in the game.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pochettino: We deserved a lot more from the game



Ref row: Southampton accused Mark Clattenburg of abusing Adam Lallana (centre) at Everton

Talking to: Controversial referee Mark Clattenburg speaks to the Southampton captain Clash point: Southampton complained to the PGMOL and requested that Clattenburg not referee another of their fixtures until the incident is fully investigated

Flashpoint: Lallana fired in a cross as Southampton tried to level the score at Everton during Sunday's clash

Blocked: Lallana's delivery struck the arm of Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz

View: Clattenburg can be seen on the left of this picture not too far away from Alcaraz and the ball

Hands up: Lallana led the appeals as the Southampton players all claimed for a penalty after Alcaraz's block Stunned: Lallana could not believe Clattenburg was not pointing to the penalty spot

Last season, Clattenburg was accused by Chelsea of racially abusing their midfield player John Mikel Obi during a fiery Premier League clash against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.



An FA inquiry concluded there was no case to answer and Clattenburg was back in charge of a Chelsea game six months after he had been accused of calling Mikel a monkey.



On Saturday, Clattenburg will officiate the high-profile FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham. At his Friday press conference, Arsene Wenger said: 'I would be disappointed if he isn't the referee. You are innocent till proven guilty.'



Lallana confronted Clattenburg at Goodison after his cross was met by the hand of Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz. The referee turned down Southampton appeals for a penalty.



Fuming: Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino let rip over the decision not to award a penalty

ROBERTO'S REACTION

At his Friday press conference, Everton manager Roberto Matinez responded to the story: 'That's the first time I have heard that. I thought Mark Clattenburg had a very good game in terms of controlling the players and his manner.

'I don't think that that was the case. That's the first time I've heard any comment about that.’



According to sources close to the incident, Clattenburg spoke to the player in a manner that is ‘not what you might expect of one of the game’s top officials’.



Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino was furious with Clattenburg after the game and claimed the South Coast club should have been awarded two spot-kicks.



But Southampton, who followed up their loss at Everton with a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day, have taken Pochettino’s complaints a step further by writing to the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd board.



Riley is investigating the matter, but PGMOL and the Premier League refused to comment.



Merseyside mayhem: Clattenburg sent off Everton's Tony Hibbert during a fiery clash with Liverpool in 2007

One that got away: Clattenburg did not send Dirk Kuyt off despite a lunge at Phil Neville at Goodison Park - the Dutchman went on to score two penalties as Liverpool beat their Merseyside rivals 2-1 back in 2007

Riley is duty-bound to speak with Clattenburg about Southampton’s claims and they are expected to respond to the club’s letter within the next few days.



Clattenburg is well known in the game for responding to verbal abuse from players with some choice phrases of his own.



After the match at Goodison, Pochettino complained bitterly about Clattenburg’s handling of the game.



The Southampton manager said: ‘These things need to be said and I am actually defending my club because it is my club and if I don’t talk I am going to be seen as if I am dumb or I don’t care about my club.

‘I don’t mean any disrespect against any referees but anyone watching the game can see there were two clear penalties that weren’t given or should have been given.



Accusation: Chelsea claimed that Clattenburg had abused Chelsea's John Mikel Obi during a game last season

Cleared: Clattenburg returned to refereeing after investigations found him not guilty of any wrong-doing

SAINTS GO MARCHING ON

Southampton assistant manager Perez has vowed Saints will not let the situation affect their preparations for hosting Burnley on Saturday. Refusing to go into detail on their complaint to PGMOL, Perez said he expects the club to find out more information in the next few days. 'I won't talk about this situation, I prefer to stay away from this and just focus on the game on Saturday," he said. 'This type of situation doesn't help us in this moment, for this game, it's away, and we'll see in the next couple of days what's happening with this. 'I read it this morning; when you are in the games sometimes you can see or hear something, but history has led me to stay away from these things.'

‘That would have changed the game completely but we weren’t given them and, of course, we are angry and upset about this.



‘I am saying that should not be forgotten in the overall analysis of the game and they need to be said. We don’t want to be judged by our young, handsome, good-looking players. We just want what’s fair. We can be a******s as well.’

Incredibly, last Sunday’s match was Clattenburg’s first appointment at Goodison Park since his questionable handling of the Merseyside derby won 2-1 by Liverpool in October 2007.



On that occasion he sent off Everton’s Tony Hibbert, allowed Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt to escape after he launched a kung-fu kick at Phil Neville and ignored a penalty appeal when Jamie Carragher clashed with Joleon Lescott.

This weekend Clattenburg will be officiating Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham.

CLATTENBURG'S CONTROVERSIES

MERSEY MADNESS, OCT 2007

In the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, Clattenburg looked ready to book Everton’s Tony Hibbert but, after apparently consulting Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, sent the defender off. He failed to show Dirk Kuyt a red card for a waist-high lunge and denied the hosts what looked a penalty in the final minutes. He did not referee an Everton match for five years and the game against Southampton was his first return to Goodison Park.

SUSPENSION, JAN 2009

After the winding-up of one of his businesses in the High Court, Clattenburg was suspended from refereeing and finally sacked by the referees’ governing body, the PGMO, for breaching his contract. He was accused of having business debts of nearly £200,000 and told he would never referee again, but he was reinstated that February after clearing his name.

BASHING BELLAMY, DEC 2009

In a match between Bolton and Manchester City, Clattenburg sent off Craig Bellamy for two bookable offences — dissent and diving. At half-time, he allegedly said to members of the City staff: ‘How do you work with Craig Bellamy all week?’

SEETHING SPURS, OCT 2010

The referee had already caused problems between Tottenham and Manchester United when he failed to award Spurs a goal in 2005 after Pedro Mendes’ lob clearly crossed the line. Five years later, he correctly, if controversially, allowed a goal to stand when Nani tapped the ball in after goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes thought he had a free-kick.

CLEARED OF RACE JIBE, OCT 2012

Clattenburg was accused of aiming a racist insult towards Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi during their 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United. The FA and the Metropolitan Police launched inquiries into the incident, but a month later, dropped the investigation and Clattenburg was cleared. Mikel was later fined £60,000 and banned for three matches for threatening Clattenburg in the aftermath of the game.



