Former referee Keith Hackett has claimed that Martin Atkinson needs a rest after his "incompetent" officiating display in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley.
The 43-year-old Atkinson sent off Blues midfielder Nemanja Matic for pushing Ashley Barnes to the ground in the 70th minute of Saturday's game.
Hackett, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board until 2010, told BBC Sport: "It was an incompetent display.
"I feel sorry for the Chelsea player because he has reacted to a leg-breaking challenge. Never mind a cup final, that could have cost him his career.
"There is no place in the game for challenges like that and it should have been punished. Send Martin to a hotel somewhere, just as Liverpool did with Raheem Sterling."
Saturday's game was Atkinson's 32nd of the season and came fewer than 72 hours after he took charge of Real Madrid's 2-0 Champions League win at Schalke 04.
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
