'That is an assault' - Referee leaves Graeme Souness absolutely raging after Sheffield United are denied a penalty at Fulham

Sheffield United's Jayden Bogle (left) clashes with Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola (right) during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage. Ben Stansall/PA Wire.

The Blades were well off their game throughout and went down to a second half strike by Ademola Lookman, after some weak defending by Ethan Ampadu.

To make matters worse, United lost yet another player throuygh injury, with Chris Basham coming off clutching his hamstring and the defender is likely to be out for at least a month.

However, while Chris Wilder’s side were poor and created very little, they felt that they should have been given the chance to rescue at least a point when in the dying minutes, substitute Jayden Bogle was caught round the top of the shin by Fulham keeper Alphonse Areola as the pair went for the ball.

Bizarrely the referee, Martin Atkinson, awarded Areola a free-kick and VAR backed that up, though it appeared Bogle got the first touch and the Fulham stopper flew in high with his challenge.

Wilder described it as “reckless” afterwards and he was backed up.

Chris Wilder left fuming as Sheffield United denied penalty after "reckless" challenge against Fulham'

Former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness said the goalkeeper’s actions amounted to “an assault” and went on to blast the standard of refereeing in the Premier League.

"If that challenge - I'm reluctant to call it a tackle - if that challenge happens anywhere else on the football pitch it's a sending off. That's a sending off,” he said.

"They make it up as they go along, referees, they really do. What planet are they on? The problem we have with referees is that they are just not very good. The last World Cup, how many English referees did we have? None. That's how good our referees are.

Souness added on Sky Sports: "That is an assault. I'm not saying he's gone deliberately to hurt him but that is a foul all day long, it's a penalty all day long and for me it's a sending off.

"That is a penalty all day long, I can't back Chris Wilder up any more (with his description). That is a penalty, it's a ridiculous decision by another very, very poor referee."