Referee told Maguire Man United deserved penalty before opting not to give it – Shaw

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - February 28, 2021 Referee Stuart Attwell watches an incident of the pitchside VAR monitor [Pool via REUTERS/Andy Rain]

Luke Shaw claims referee Stuart Attwell told Harry Maguire Manchester United deserved a penalty before opting not to give it.

The decision proved to be decisive as the Red Devils draw 0-0 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Callum Hudson-Odoi appeared to handle the ball in the box as he and Mason Greenwood battled for possession.

VAR advised Attwell to visit the screen before making a decision on whether or not to point to the spot.

He is alleged to have told United's skipper that a penalty was going to be awarded, but he knew it was going to cause a stir.

Shaw said: "I think at the time I saw a handball. I didn't know if was Mason or Callum. Didn't even know there was a potential check.

"I don't know why they stopped it if it's not going to be a pen.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - February 28, 2021 Referee Stuart Attwell speaks to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes [Pool via REUTERS/Andy Rain]

"The ref even said to H [Harry Maguire] if it's a pen then it's going to cause a lot of talk about it after.

"So I don't know what happened there. H got told it was a pen. I'm not sure.

"I don't understand. If it's going to stop you think it's going to be a pen because we had the ball, we were attacking.

"I'm not going to moan about it because I don't think either team did enough to win."

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed it was "100 per cent" a penalty.

Although he stopped short of revealing what Attwell had told his players insisting he "doesn't want to cause controversy" - but Shaw had already made it clear.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel claimed it was a "high quality game" but felt as if Greenwood was the man who handled the ball - not Hudson-Odoi.