West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has questioned referee Andre Mariner's decision not to send Morgan Schneiderlin off during his side's 0-0 draw against Southampton.
Schneiderlin slid in to a heavy challenge on Mohamed Diame shortly before half time, but Mariner did not even award a free kick despite furious reactions from a handful of West Ham players.
"We feel a bit disappointed that Schneiderlin is still on the pitch - we didn't even get a free kick - because it's a two-footed challenge," Allardyce told Sky Sports News.
"[With] two-footed challenges, we have been told by everyone in the referees' department from Mike Riley down, there is no other choice but a straight red - this one we didn't even get a free kick. I can't for the life of me [understand]. Andre is such an experienced referee now, how he didn't see that.
"For me that was a disappointment. It's in the end kept them with 11 men on the field when the law was supposed to be they should only have had 10 men which would have given us a better chance of winning. But I'm happy with a point. I can't affect what the referees do, it's not my job."
Allardyce has also admitted that he is concerned by his side's lack of goals, having netted just twice in the opening four games of the season.
Barney Corkhill
