Davies wants strong officials

Davies: Loves a tackle

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Kevin Davies has called on referee Mark Clattenburg not to be overawed by Manchester United ahead of Bolton's trip to Old Trafford on Saturday.

Gary Megson's Trotters make the short journey across the North West in decent spirits having picked up their form of late to move to 13th in the table.

A visit to the champions is never an easy proposition though and Davies believes referees have an obligation not to be swayed by a partisan home crowd and vociferous touchline.

Sir Alex Ferguson's assessment of Alan Wiley's fitness has put match officials firmly in the spotlight and having been on the receiving end of a questionable decision in the same fixture last season, Davies is eager for there to be no repeat.

"At Old Trafford last year we had a penalty given against us that was never a penalty in a million years," Davies said in The Independent.

"Big teams so often get those decisions, don't they? It was 0-0 until then, and we'd been working so hard.

"That penalty just knocked the wind out of our sails. I don't know whether some referees are maybe intimidated by going to Old Trafford. I don't know why they should be."

Fergie baiting

Davies is not alien to the attention of referees having committed more fouls in his six years at Bolton than any other player in the same period - a statistic that has not been lost on Ferguson.

Last season the United chief accused him of being a bully prior to the two sides meeting in the league and Davies admits it was no surprise when he picked up a booking.

"Two years ago it was spread all over the papers," Davies added.

"All this stuff from Fergie about me bullying and kicking. And I went there and hardly made a tackle, because I knew I'd be straight in the book. So I suppose he did his job. That's what Fergie's good at, isn't it?

"The way I play there are going to be fouls. If you're challenging for long balls 20 or 30 times, it's inevitable.

"But at home against Stoke [last month] I got a yellow card from Mark Clattenburg for diving, and I just couldn't believe that. I was gobsmacked, to be honest with you, because he knows I'm an honest player.

"I thought I was getting up for a free-kick for us, but he booked me. That was just embarrassing, and it meant I was treading on eggshells for the rest of the match."