Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce was unhappy that referee Peter Walton failed to award his side a penalty following the 6-2 thrashing at Arsenal. Rovers had twice taken the lead before eventually being outclassed by the rampant Gunners.

However, it was the decision not to point to the spot and send off defender Thomas Vermaelen for an apparent trip on David Dunn at the start of the second half, when Arsenal led 3-2, which incensed the Rovers chief.

Allardyce stormed: "I don't want to detract from Arsenal but it was a blatant penalty.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the position of the referee was excellent. He just didn't, unfortunately, give the decision in our favour.

"It is human beings in a very big pressure position.

"In the big pressure pot that is this league, you have got to get the major decisions right otherwise you don't stay in this league too long, not as a manager or a player, so as a referee you have got to be judged the same.

"They are fully professional now so if they are not good enough, we should find someone who is.

"That decision wasn't good enough for me today and it had a major effect on the course of this game."

Allardyce added: "I try not to say too much publicly and say it through the system, but unfortunately the system is not working.

"So I have to be heard and people may say it is bitter or twisted, but I know I am 100% right because I am very professional in what I do.

"I research everything and [referees boss] Keith Hackett knows I am right."

Allardyce felt if the decision had gone Blackburn's way, then the visitors could well have got something from the game.

He said: "At that particular stage you would see us getting a penalty, probably scoring it, them going down to 10 men - because it is a red card for stopping a goal-scoring opportunity - and the balance swings in our favour."