Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has defended Mark Clattenburg's decision to send Fernando Torres off for simulation in yesterday's game between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Clattenburg handed Chelsea striker Torres a second yellow card for what he felt was simulation after Manchester United's Jonny Evans appeared to have fouled him. But replays have since shown that Evans did make contact with Torres and that Clattenburg's decision may have been wrong.

But Gallagher claims that he has spoken to Clattenburg since the incident and that he was right to book Torres for an "unnatural fall".

Gallagher told Sky Sports: "He said to me, in his opinion, when he saw Torres going through he felt that it was an unatural fall. He said he felt that he had over run the ball, he felt that he was trying to get Jonny Evans in to trouble and he was willing to go to ground easily which, in Law 12, he is covered because an exaggerated fall is a caution-able offence.

"Mark felt it was an overexaggerated fall, it wasn't natural. He has tried to decieve him in to giving a free-kick and getting Jonny Evans in to trouble. Therefore he is within his rights in Law 12 to give him a yellow card."

But despite the defence of Clatternburg's decision, Gallagher admitted that he felt it was a foul by Evans on Torres, although he has had the chance to see it over and over again.

"I thought it was a foul to be honest and, in fairness, I did tell Mark that on the phone. But, like everything in football, it's subjective," he added.

"He has his opinion, he's seen it in the match. I've seen it many, many times on a replay."

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