Sunderland 2 Man United 1: We’re playing officials too, fumes David Moyes

A furious David Moyes claimed Manchester United are having to play against officials too after Sunderland edged to victory in the first leg of Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final.

The Black Cats took a first-half lead in a fortuitous manner when Ryan Giggs inadvertently put the ball past United goalkeeper David De Gea from a free-kick, which Moyes felt should have gone in his side’s favour.

It looks as though we are having to play them [officials] as well as the opposition at the moment

David Moyes

United skipper Nemanja Vidic levelled the tie seven minutes after half-time, before Fabio Borini scored Sunderland’s first-leg winner from the spot at the Stadium of Light after Tom Cleverley was controversially adjudged to have brought down Adam Johnson.

And Moyes bemoaned the recent decisions of officials which the Scot feels have been going against the defending Premier League champions.

“It is difficult we just need to keep going. We didn’t do a lot wrong,” Moyes told BBC Sport.

“I thought the referee was going to blow in our direction for the first goal. I couldn’t believe he gave a free kick. It was a terrible decision.

“We are all just laughing at them at the minute. We get a player booked for doing the same. It looks as though we are having to play them [officials] as well as the opposition at the moment.

“I thought the players, our crowd were unbelievable, the players deserved to get a result. It’s a two legged game and I am really looking forward to the second leg.”