Pulis puzzled by refereeing

Tony Pulis lamented the referee’s failure to send Gary Neville off in Stoke City’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Official Andre Marriner had a big call to make when veteran Neville – making his 600th appearance for United – flew into a challenge on Matthew Etherington in the first half after already collecting a booking.

And the Premier League ref elected against giving the defender his marching orders and Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson was allowed to bring the 35-year-old off at half-time to avoid going down to 10 men.

United left the Britannia Stadium with their first away win of the season thanks to a Javier Hernandez brace but Pulis remained unhappy with Marriner’s performance.
Disappointed

The Potters chief told Sky Sports: “We’re desperately disappointed. If that was a Stoke player at Old Trafford do you think he’d still be on the pitch?

“Their player should have been sent off in my opinion and if we’re at Old Trafford and a Stoke player makes two challenges like that then he sends him off.”

Pulis insists Stoke’s goalscorer Tuncay Sanli has a future at the club despite recent speculation suggesting he will leave the Potters in the January transfer window.

The Stoke boss added: “Tunny has been as good as gold.

“People report this and that and obviously he’s disappointed because he wants to play all the time but you have to accept that. He’s a good lad.”