Revealed: Guardian study how Man. Utd get more injury time...

[reds123]

Revealed: Manchester United get more injury time when they need it

• Guardian study shows added time to turn round home games
• Owen won derby after an extra five minutes and 26 seconds



Sir Alex Ferguson likes to boast that his Manchester United team score more late goals than any other side in the world. Others argue that they get a bit of extra help from referees. It has now emerged that the Premier League champions do, as suspected, benefit from an imbalance in the amount of stoppage time that is added to their matches.

After the controversy over Michael Owen's winning goal in Sunday's Manchester derby, the Guardian has looked at all of United's league matches at Old Trafford since the start of the 2006-07 season and discovered that, on average, there has been over a minute extra added by referees when United do not have the lead after 90 minutes, compared to when they are in front. In 48 games when United were ahead, the average amount of stoppage time was 191.35 seconds. In 12 matches when United were drawing or losing there was an average of 257.17sec.

The average stoppage time added at Old Trafford in the period in question is below that given at Anfield, the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge. United's is 205 seconds, compared to Liverpool's 210sec, Arsenal's 224sec and Chelsea's 229sec. But there is also evidence to support the suspicions of many managers, players and supporters that United get preferential treatment at home. When Owen made it 4-3 on Sunday the game was five minutes and 26 seconds into stoppage time. In total, the referee, Martin Atkinson, allowed almost seven minutes, even though the fourth official had signalled a minimum of four. Mark Hughes, the City manager, spoke of feeling "robbed". His sense of grievance will not be helped if he analyses the last three seasons.

In 2006-07, for example, United were winning 15 times on entering stoppage time and referees added an average 194.53sec. In the four games when United were not winning there was an average of 217.25sec. The following year the disparity was greater, Opta's figures showing an average 178.29sec added when United were winning and 254.5sec when they were not. Last season it was 187.71sec compared to 258.6sec.

The pattern has continued in the first three games of the season. In the two games United have led they have played an average 304sec of injury time. On Sunday, Atkinson allowed the game to go on for 415sec.

[The_weatherman]

Interesting indeed, maybe we get the same treatment but if we do it needs to stop as well. This sport is so frustrating.

[kev776]

The answer is simple, if the 4th official signals 4 extra minutes, the next time the ball goes out of play or the ref blows for an offside/free kick etc, the game is technically over.

[Shaggy]

We all knew it, but that is appalling.

[SimonNo7]

I think we all pretty much knew it would be like this but have they worked out the same for us, the Arse and the Chavs?

[rudedog]

I think we all pretty much knew it would be like this but have they worked out the same for us, the Arse and the Chavs?

for time added on when the home teams are in front

The average stoppage time added at Old Trafford in the period in question is below that given at Anfield, the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge. United's is 205 seconds, compared to Liverpool's 210sec, Arsenal's 224sec and Chelsea's 229sec.

[Reece]

So they are actually the lowest out of the "big four" then right?

[Shaggy]

So they are actually the lowest out of the "big four" then right?

Yes but that's when they're in front, so it's to their advantage. When they're in front the ref blows up sharpish and it's game over, United win. When they're behind, they keep playing until they score. Fact.

[Reece]

Ah right, gotcha

[Neil Young]

Manchester United, partly through their manager, have far too much power, and it's bad for football. It's as simple as that.

[Craig_H]

How likely is it to change when bacon-face retires?

[Neil Young]

How likely is it to change when bacon-face retires?

I think it will change to some extent. But their power is broader than him and goes deeper into how the game is organised and run. They have their dirty hands on some of the levers of power thanks to the profile they have, the income they generate and the institutions they have helped set up or co-opted.

But let's be honest, Manchester United may have the most power but LFC have more power than other, smaller clubs*. We don't benefit on the field as much as they do though and that's partly down to their record of success in the last two decades and partly down to Ferguson's blatant intimidation and hidden power.






* For example, Everton.

[Craig_H]

To be honest, their antics with harrassing officials, accompanying them off the field at half time, screaming in their faces and bullying them, has paid off over the years.

I dont like it, but it's becoming a case of do the same as them, or lose the benefits.

[EwarWoo]

To be honest I took that article to be a little tongue in cheek. I think he's just taking the piss out of all the dramatists.

[Kenneth]

Some of it is not very convincing.

"In 2006-07, for example, United were winning 15 times on entering stoppage time and referees added an average 194.53sec. In the four games when United were not winning there was an average of 217.25sec." An average based on four games could hide al sorts. One lengthy injury taking minutes to resolve in one of those games would nake a huge difference to the average figure. The longer term stats are more interesting.