‘Television money has undoubtedly enriched the Premiership and the pay packets of all those associated with it over the last decade, but the blanket coverage of our national sport went too far at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Chris Coleman, a Fulham manager who is not ashamed to wear his heart on his sleeve, believed that, to the naked eye, his team had been the victims of a crucial miscarriage of justice in the build-up to Manchester United's third goal in an eventful, enjoyable tussle.
Normally, Coleman would tear himself apart mentally for the rest of the match, wondering whether his hunch was right, and wait until after the final whistle to seek evidence to confirm or rebut his initial judgment.
Here that evidence was available immediately, right in front of his dug-out position. He watched in frustration as an instant replay showed Ruud van Nistelrooy to be at least a yard offside in setting up a simple finish for his United strike partner, Louis Saha.
Consequently, Coleman felt he was on a sure enough footing to leave his observation point and march down the touchline to remonstrate with linesman Nigel Bannister, whose body language at the end of the match left little room for doubt that he knew he had made a big mistake.
It is unlikely that the officiating error will be the subject of disciplinary action, but it is a virtual certainty that Coleman will be taken to task by the Football Association after being banished to the stand by referee Martin Atkinson for his furious verbal outburst.’