Sir Alex Ferguson was unhappy with the timekeeping of referee Martin Atkinson following the defeat to Aston Villa.

United chief rues missed opportunity

Missed opportunity

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was unhappy with the timekeeping of referee Martin Atkinson following the defeat to Aston Villa. Ferguson's troops fell to their first home defeat of the season as Gabriel Agbonlahor's first-half header gave Villa a famous victory. United chief Ferguson was irritated at the amount of time added on by Atkinson, who decided three minutes was enough for six substitutions and two lengthy injury stoppages, and the Scot has called for a change in how added time is worked out. "The timing should be taken out of the referee's hands," bemoaned Ferguson. "Those two stoppages took two minutes and 20 seconds, and then there were the substitutions on top of that. That is disappointing. "It is silly really. We are nearly in 2010. A change should be made."Ferguson was also left to rue a missed opportunity to go level on points with Chelsea at the top of the table after Carlo Ancelotti's league leaders were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton earlier on Saturday. "It is a missed opportunity," Ferguson added. "We created plenty of opportunities and we should have taken at least one. "But this is not an easy league. If you get there, you are going to be taken the distance. "As I always say, if we are in touching distance on New Year's Day we won't be far away."