Hmm, Graham Poll is in deeper controversy than thought.
McFadden denies comment over Poll
Referee Graham Poll is at the centre of controversy again after
Everton's James McFadden was sent off against Arsenal in his side's
Carling Cup defeat.
Everton boss David Moyes claimed the fourth official told him
McFadden was dismissed for calling Poll a cheat.
But while the striker said he queried Poll's decision not to give a
penalty, he added: "I didn't call him a cheat."
Poll was already in the spotlight after his much-criticised
decision to dismiss Chelsea's John Terry against Tottenham.
Terry said later that he had been given two different versions of
why he was issued with a second yellow card in Sunday's game, while
team-mate Ashley Cole accused Poll of bias against his club.
Wednesday's incident came after Everton striker Andrew Johnson was
brought down by Philippe Senderos in the penalty area.
As Poll waved away the hosts' penalty appeals, McFadden was seen to
speak angrily to the referee and was then sent off in the 19th
minute.
"The fourth official told me that he had been sent off because he
had called the referee a cheat but James refutes that," said a
furious Moyes, who took the unusual step of bringing McFadden to
his post-match news conference to give his side of the story.
"And Andy Johnson told me afterwards that he felt he was fouled in
the box and it was a penalty. I now feel he is being punished for
what other people are saying about him."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Sheffield United counterpart Neil
Warnock have both questioned Johnson's apparent willingness to go
down in the box too easily.
"He is definitely suffering because of what is being said," said
Moyes.
"Other people are talking about our player when they should be
keeping their mouths shut. He is being punished."