Southampton accuse referee Mark Clattenburg of 'insulting and abusing' Adam Lallana

Following a complaint by Southampton FC, referees’ chief Mike Riley is investigating charges of Mark Clattenburg ‘abusing and insulting’ Saints’ captain and England international Adam Lallana.

According to the Daily Mail, the incident happened during Southampton’s 1-2 defeat away at Goodison Park on December 29th. Late in the game when Southampton were chasing an equalizer, Clattenburg turned down a penalty appeal from the Saints after Lallana’s cross appeared to have struck Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz on the hand inside the penalty box.

Lallana was seen protesting with the referee for not giving the decision in their favour and according to sources close to the incident, Clattenburg was speaking to the player in a manner that is ‘not what you might expect of one of the game’s top officials’.

Southampton have asked the Premier League for Clattenburg not to be appointed as an official for any of their matches until the investigation is over.

This is the second time in as many seasons that Clattenburg has been involved in an on-field controversy after he was accused by Chelsea last year of racially abusing their midfielder John Obi Mikel. A FA inquiry found him ‘not guilty’ and Clattenburg was back officiating a Chelsea game six months later.

Whether the inquiry will find Clattenburg innocent this time too, remains to be seen. The episode will however make sure that at least some eyes will be fixed firmly on him as he officiates the Arsenal vs Tottenham fixture in this weekend’s FA Cup tie.