London: Police, lawyers and the English FA were all preparing their ground on Tuesday to determine whether referee Mark Clattenburg used "inappropriate language" towards two Chelsea players in Sunday's defeat by Manchester United. Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter said Clattenburg would probably never be able to referee another match if media allegations he racially insulted Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and verbally abused Spaniard Juan Mata are true.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it has now received a complaint about the referee and that it will be working alongside Chelsea to determine what action, if any, will be taken. While Clattenburg has made no public comment on the case, Sky Sports reported he has strongly denied using any inappropriate language and is "mortified" by the allegations. The FA said on Monday it had begun investigations into the alleged incidents that occurred during United's 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge where Clattenburg sent off home players Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres.
United won the game with a goal scored by Javier Hernandez who came back from an offside position before firing in from close range. The infringement was not spotted by the linesman and Clattenburg allowed the goal to stand. He will not be officiating at any Premier League matches this weekend after the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMO), which manages top English referees, said on Monday he was being stood down given the "intense level of scrutiny".
Former Premier League referee Winter told British media: "If a match official has used racist language, he won't be getting a four or eight-match ban, it'll probably be the end of his career - but that is indeed if he did say anything." Chelsea captain John Terry is serving a four-match ban for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand last year while Liverpool's Luis Suarez had an eight-match ban last term for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
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