Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says Craig Pawson 'punished' his side in Southampton draw

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Jose Mourinho claimed Manchester United were “punished” by referee Craig Pawson as his side stumbled to a third draw in as many Premier League games on Saturday.

After sharing the points with both Leicester City and Burnley over the course of the last week, United were held to a goalless draw by Mauricio Pellegrino's Southampton at Old Trafford.

Mourinho's side lost striker Romelu Lukaku to a head injury early on and struggled to break down their visitors, who picked up their first clean sheet in 11 games.

Several United players felt as though they should have been awarded a penalty when the ball struck Maya Yoshida's hand in the first half but Pawson waved away all protests.

In his post-match press conference, Mourinho claimed that his side had done enough to win the game and bemoaned Pawson's decision not to penalise Yoshida and award what he called a “very clear” penalty.

“I watched on the touchline and it looked for me for very clear but 50 metres distance so I give the referee the benefit of the doubt.

“I know my players so when I see people like Mata almost in hysterics I know, no doubt and then at half-time I watch it. It is a penalty like Rashford against Leicester, Herrera against City.”

The United manager added: “I think we played enough to win with all the difficulties. We played enough to win.

“We started the game and we lose the striker and we lose one of the only two changes I have on the bench to change in attacking areas, leaving just one for the rest of the 90 minutes.

“Then a very good referee, one of the most promising young referees in Europe had a very bad decision that punished us.

“Then the game was about us trying and missing some important chances, always trying to create and play, and them trying a chance on isolated counter-attack.”

On Lukaku, Mourinho said he did not know how serious the striker's injury was but effectively ruled him out of the forthcoming trip to Everton on New Year's Day.

“I know normally bad news arrives immediately and bad news didn’t arrive,” Mourinho said.

“But to leave the pitch the way he did, we didn’t think twice to make it immediately because there is a problem, not just for today but the next two matches for sure.”