Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has hit out at what he called “a campaign” against his team after the Blues drew 1-1 away to Southampton on Sunday.
A tight game, at one point during the match, Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas appeared to be brought down in the Saints’ penalty box by left-back Matt Targett, however, the former Barcelona man was handed a yellow card for what referee Anthony Taylor presumed as diving.
This left Mourinho unhappy after the final whistle, as the Portuguese boss angered over a “bad decision” which cost the league leaders two precious points in the race for the English Premier League crown.
"I think it’s clearly the result of something that looks like a campaign," claimed Mourinho. "In the first match Diego [Costa] got a yellow card when should it have been a penalty and red card at Burnley.
"A few months later we lose two points in a match where the penalty is there and Fabregas gets a yellow card [on Sunday at Southampton]. In football we are always trying - or we should always try - to change the bad things and the double punishment is something unbelievable.
Fabregas brought down by Southampton's Matt Targett in the penalty box during Sunday's 1-1 draw
However, Chelsea's call for a penalty was denied, as their Spanish playmaker got booked for what the referee saw as diving
"You have a penalty and probably you win the game. You don’t get the penalty and you get a yellow card. It should be easy - [referee] Anthony [Taylor] goes to a screen, he sees he makes a mistake, he’s a good guy, an honest guy, he writes ‘I made a mistake’ and lets [rescind] the yellow card to Fabregas. It should be simple.
"[They are] Bad yellow cards. You can say that. I’m not saying all, but the crucial ones, because we’re speaking about crucial decisions. For example, the game against Hull City - do you think the most important thing of the game was Cahill or was it Filipe Luis almost with a broken leg? For me that’s the crucial point of the game."
When asked who is behind this alleged campaign against Chelsea, Mourinho said: "I don’t know, but for example after the game against West Ham - good game, normal game, 2-0, should be four, should be five, Valencia made a very bad dive and at the end of the game Sam [Allardyce] is speaking about Ivanovic! What is this? What is this? For what? Why? Which intention? And today you come here, it’s crucial decision, one of these matches between two good teams, difficult match, not many opportunities for both sides, crucial decisions, and the referee makes a wrong decision. Do I have to blame the referee? I just say he made a mistake. Just that."
