ANGRY Rovers boss Graeme Souness launched a stinging attack on referee Andy D'Urso after the official failed to send off Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo in Saturday's controversial clash with Manchester United.

Rovers were trailing 2-1 to the Premiership league leaders at the time when Ricardo pulled down Andy Cole as the former England striker tried to round him in the box.

D'Urso was quick to deem the incident a foul and promptly awarded Rovers a penalty but Souness was furious when the United keeper was then allowed to stay on the pitch to save David Dunn's spot-kick.

"If that had happened at the opposite end then we would have been playing with 10 men, there's no doubt about that," blasted Souness.

"So that disappoints me but that's not new. At big clubs you don't always get what you should from referees.

"It was a monster decision. The referee said he was going away from goal but I didn't see it like that at all.

"I don't think he even got booked for it.

"I can't complain about them winning 3-1 because it could have been more.

"When we went chasing the game we left ourselves open to them breaking on us.

"I can't help thinking about the penalty decision, though, and what it involved because it could have been so different, but it wasn't to be."

That decision had a massive bearing on the game because Ricardo had only just replaced Fabien Barthez so if he had been sent off then United would have been forced to play an outfield player in goal.