Former referee Jeff Winter believes that Premier League official Mark Clattenburg has been unfairly targeted by Chelsea but only if the complaint made has not involved allegations of racism.

Clattenburg was at the centre of controversy in Chelsea's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday, which ended with an official complaint made to the Premier League regarding alleged "inappropriate language" from the referee towards two of the Blues players.

"It is slightly ironic that players dish it out then complain if something is said back," Winter told BBC Radio Five Live. "Not talking about racial comments here, if it is like for like then nobody has a right to complain.

"I'm not saying they should do it but there seems to be different rules for one set and another for others but this insistence that racial languages has been used is very, very serious."

Reports have claimed that the two players involved in the incident are John Obi Mikel and Juan Mata.