Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock believes referee Craig Pawson was influenced by Chelsea's players to send off Damien Delaney as the Premier League leaders secured a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Match official Pawson showed Blues defender Cesar Azpilicueta a straight red card for a lunge on Mile Jedinak six minutes before the interval, and then gave Delaney his second yellow card three minutes later for a tackle on Loic Remy.
Eagles coach Warnock thinks Jose Mourinho's team affected the referee's decision to dismiss Delaney by surrounding him following the foul, and says the red card cost his side their chance of any points on Saturday.
"[It's a] silly thing to do, to give the referee a decision like that,'' Warnock said. "Half the [Chelsea] team surrounded the ref. I thought they influenced him at times today, but he's only young isn't he? It's experience, I suppose.''
Warnock also felt that Chelsea captain John Terry would have been booked for a foul on Fraizer Campbell had he been a Palace player.
"It set a precedent for me,'' Warnock added. "I thought he left a lot to be desired today. He's had better days.
"I don't think that should take away from our lot. We played really well. On another day I think we'd have got a result, if things had gone our way.''