WITH the vast amounts of money at stake at the top end of the game today, the need to win at all costs is unfortunately spotlighted more and more.

It was certainly evident last week after watching the FA Cup semi-finals and the Premiership clash between Everton and Manchester United that the referee's job gets harder as the finishing line to the season's marathon comes into sight.

Blackburn undoubtedly overstepped the mark against Arsenal.

Professionals understand that when a team who are obviously less talented play against a highly-skilled outfit like Arsenal, the plan is usually to get as tight as possible on them and not give them the time nor the space to get their passing game going.

Inevitably, over 90 minutes some tackles will be late and in the case of players who have a history, like Robbie Savage, the whole team becomes labelled as thugs.

Rovers manager Mark Hughes would rightly say: "What do you want us to do - stand off and let the opposition run the game?"

He can also point to the fact that their aggressive style has lifted them clear of the relegation battle.

Nothing gives him more pleasure than knowing that given the time and the money some of the bigger clubs have, his team will be able to play the same sort of football as they do.

On the other hand no one can defend the actions which saw the two Manchester United players, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, sent off against Everton, especially given how important the game actually was with United trying to take second place ahead of Arsenal and Everton trying to take fourth ahead of Liverpool.

This is what makes our Premiership so interesting, I suppose, to viewers around world.

People can watch football anywhere else in Europe and not find so much competitiveness in a league where a team like Norwich City, in 20th place, can beat two giants like Manchester United and Newcastle in successive home games.