Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Graham Poll:

“I haven’t seen the Everton game but I saw the Chelsea-Tottenham match. The first thing to say is that Graham Poll, without question, is the best referee we’ve got.

Yes, he’s got an arrogance about him at times and a cockiness. But, when players have that, we think it’s great. Because he’s a referee we think he’s a big-headed so-and-so but the fact remains: he’s our best referee.

He does make bad decisions and we’ve had some terrible ones from him in the past, as have other clubs.

We’re not alone there because he does make mistakes. But you wouldn’t want to be in his position to have to make those decisions and that’s why he gets the big games – because he’s the best at making big decisions.”

Now Ferguson might just be playing the media and getting the ref on his side (he’s not the only one playing the media – Benitez has gone on a rant about how managers should behave themselves – you can bet Wenger’s not amused), but he makes a good point.

Poll’s good because he doesn’t shy away from the big decisions. He tries to do his best and yes, he gets them wrong, but so do other refs.

More on this topic:

Leave the refs alone, go after the footballing authorities

Keane and Poll speak

The Graham Poll debate