So not only Rafa complains about referees' bias towards Utd.

[reds123]

David Moyes questions Mike Riley's allegiance to Manchester United• Manager claims press rumour should be investigated
• FA denies any bias ahead of FA Cup semi-final
Digg it guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 April 2009 03.05 BST
Article history

David Moyes has an uneasy history with referee Mike Riley. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

The Everton manager David Moyes has questioned the appointment of Mike Riley as the replacement referee for his side's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Sunday. Riley was selected to fill in for the unwell Steve Bennett, yet Moyes called for an FA investigation into whether the Leeds-born official has any allegiances toward United.

"A member of the press asked me if Mike Riley was a Manchester United supporter and I think that's something you would need to bring up with the FA," Moyes said. "If you're saying that he is, you'd hope the FA would look at it. It is something that one or two managers would have something to say about."

Moyes has an uneasy history with Riley after the referee controversially awarded a penalty during Everton's final match of the 2002-03 season, also against Manchester United, which cost the club a place in the Uefa Cup. A spokesman for the FA said the choice of official would stand. "All our referees are fair, unbiased and objective," he said. "Mike Riley is one of our top officials and we are 100% confident he will do a good job on Sunday."

[Guest]

Riley riles everyone even Moyes.

[MrMichael]

Mike "if you're not going to just let them score I'll have to give them a penalty" Riley could be a ManU supporter? Perish the thought!

I'm looking forward to Everton kicking lumps out of them.... and beating them.

[Reece]

Riley is from Leeds.

[SERVO1]

The fact the original ref for the game was the Man U bias Bennett and he get's replaced by the other Man u bias Riley is a joke. I don't blame Moyes for speaking out and putting pressure on every decision Riley makes.

[Guest]

Riley is from Leeds.

Shaggy is from Manchester but supports Liverpool. Can't see your point there.

[Reece]

Shaggy is from Manchester but supports Liverpool. Can't see your point there.

I wasn't trying to make one.

[Shaggy]

Shaggy is from Manchester but supports Liverpool. Can't see your point there.

[Tee]

Fredo is on fire this morning.

[Guest]

I wasn't trying to make one.

Ok it wasn't obvious sorry.

No need man, your heart is still in the right place.

[MrMichael]

[Reece]

Riley was invited to go to Hong Kong to take charge of the Hong Kong FA Cup 2006-07 final between South China and Happy Valley in 2007. South China won by 3-1, allowing them to achieve a treble in local competitions (First Division League, Senior Shield and FA Cup. Riley gave three penalty kicks in the match, two for South China and one for Happy Valley.

[Reece]

He was involved in controversy on 30 March 2006 after the sending off of a Levski player in a UEFA Cup 2005-06 quarter final tie, Levski vs Schalke. He showed a second yellow card to Cedric Bardon, although it was disputed whether there was any contact between him and the opposition player. After the game, Levski's president Todor Batkov commented on Riley's decision: "This British homosexual broke the game".

[Darth Marty]

Come on Everton!!!

[calvoboy]

From the Guardian in 2004 - he's had 5 more seasons of giving them everything since this was written

What is Mike Riley's full record when refereeing Man United matches?" asks Benjamin Thomas.

With Mike Riley seemingly giving at least one penalty every time he sets foot inside Old Trafford, he was accused of pro-Manchester United bias long before his erratic performance in the Arsenal game ten days ago. But a leaf through the record books shows that United's record in matches that Riley has refereed is surprisingly modest.

According to our research, which goes to back to the beginning of the 1997-98 season, Riley has refereed 23 United games in all competitions. In that time, their record is: W13 D3 L7. Of more interest to the conspiracy theorists, however, is the fact that he has given 12 penalties for United in that time, but only three against them. And he has sent off five of United's opponents, while booking 44, as opposed to dismissing two United players - Roy Keane for raking his studs down Gustavo Poyet's leg in the 2000-01 Charity Shield, and Luke Chadwick for a professional foul at home to Liverpool in the same season - while booking 36.

At Old Trafford, Riley's record is weighted more heavily in favour of United, though that is to be expected given that they dominate more games at home. United's record is: P14 W10 D1 L3, with ten penalties for United and one against (again Liverpool were the beneficiaries, this time when Gary Neville took Steven Gerrard out last season), and with three red cards and 26 bookings for United's opponents as against one and 14 for United.

Yet a look at the penalties Riley has given United suggest only two were truly dubious: the one against Arsenal last week, and another in a 7-1 thrashing of West Ham in April 2000 when Nicky Butt appeared to trip over his own feet as he went round the goalkeeper Craig Forrest. Many have been pedantic-but-correct decisions: in the 2002-03 season alone, for example, when Riley gave United seven penalties in five games, Everton's Alan Stubbs and David Weir, Liverpool's Sami Hyypia and Middlesbrough's Ugo Ehiogu were all penalised for shirt-tugs.