Ian Holloway: Refs favour certain Premier League clubs

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway says some referees favour certain clubs, following his side's 1-0 defeat by Tottenham at Selhurst Park.

Referee Mark Clattenburg gave a penalty after Aaron Lennon's cross hit Dean Moxey's outstretched arm - but Holloway thought an earlier foul was missed.

"It's going to be a long, hard season for me with these people [referees]," said Holloway.

"I had this with Blackpool. Certain clubs get fouls and others don't."

Holloway's Blackpool were relegated on the final day of the 2010-11 season, with the Bristol-born manager joining Palace in November 2012 and leading them to promotion via the Championship play-offs in May.

His Palace team were denied a point in their first Premier League match since 2005 by Spurs' debutant Roberto Soldado's second-half penalty.

But Holloway believes Tottenham's Nacer Chadli fouled Stephen Dobbie in the build-up.

The 50-year-old said: "I've got to learn what a foul is because I thought Chadli deliberately body-checked Dobbie, smashed him down, and ran off with the ball.

"If the referee didn't see that, the assistant should have. You have to ask if he's good enough if he didn't see that. I don't see how he can miss it.

"A minute and a half later, we're arguing over whether it was deliberate handball."

Holloway was also unhappy with decision to award the penalty.

"I don't understand how it was a penalty, or how Moxey could have got out of the way of it," added the former Leicester, QPR and Bristol Rovers boss.

"Do I think I would have got that at Tottenham? No I don't.

"Tottenham will feel decisions like that if they play Man United.

"I just want a bit of fairness. I want a foul like anyone else would have got one. I've got a horrible taste in my mouth after that."

On his team's performance, Holloway was disappointed at an injury-time miss by Kagisho Dikgacoi.

"We had a great chance at the end and didn't take it," said Holloway. "We've got to learn very quickly.

"We need to be more adventurous. We haven't had a good pre-season. Half of them aren't fit."

Full-back Joel Ward agreed with his manager that Palace should have had a free-kick before Tottenham's penalty.

The 23-year-old said: "The gameplan was working and we maybe could have had a free-kick in the build-up to their penalty.

"It was a great opening day. We played well and were unlucky not to make more of our chances.

"We've got all the ability to give this season a really good go. We've got a fantastic bond and can cause a few upsets."