Strachan Reaction: Manchester Utd

Last updated : 01 February 2004 By Mad Reporter
After clawing themselves back from a two-goal deficit, Ruud van Nistelrooy was clearly in a offside position when a free-kick was taken leading upto Uniteds winner but referee Graham Barber deemed the Utd striker to be not interfering with play.

"He was offside. I don't care about clauses ABC and D, all they do is cover the backsides of inadequate people," Strachan said after the match at Old Trafford.

"What is to stop a team from shoving four players round a goalkeeper at any free-kick and preventing him from moving.

"I haven't bothered going to see him, no doubt he will pop up on a phone-in somewhere. He was on TV this morning - why can't he just concentrate on refereeing instead of trying to be a celebrity.

"I get annoyed because we spent yesterday working hard on how we were going to defend set-pieces. I might as well have got the referee in instead and asked him whether we should make the journey or just give them the points and have a game of golf instead."