Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has claimed referee Michael Oliver told him a penalty for Manchester United in Saturday's 2-1 win at Crystal Palace was given on "gut instinct".
Juan Mata opened the scoring from the spot in the first half of the Premier League clash at Selhurst Park after Scott Dann was adjudged to have handled an Ashley Young cross, with Marouane Fellaini heading home a winner after Jason Puncheon had equalised with a free-kick.
Oliver's view did not appear to be clear and Pardew suggested that the official had admitted his decision was based on an assumption.
Pardew said: "I asked [the referee] after and he said he went with his gut feeling that it was a penalty. But seeing the players' reaction and the video I think that was a really tough call.
"We've played Chelsea and Manchester United, two top teams, and we've not really had a break.
"The first is more than debateable and the ref can't be sure form his angle and the players' reaction said it all really.
"Having said that, they played well first half, second half we sorted that out, changed our shape and that worked for us, we got the equaliser, perhaps should have took the lead, but a fantastic save from the goalkeeper denies Glenn [Murray].
"Unfortunately we got a cross all wrong and we ended up losing and it's not what we deserved."
The Palace manager reserved special praise for United goalkeeper David de Gea, who kept the scores at 1-1 by spectacularly denying Glenn Murray from point-blank range before Fellaini's winner.
Pardew beamed: "His kicking and everything was really good. He's really shown his class, he was a big factor in their win."
