Redknapp was unhappy with referee Howard Webb for not awarding his side a penalty when Robbie Keane was felled by Ricardo Carvalho and the second turning point occurred when centre-half Ledley King was forced out of the game with a hamstring injury.

Webb awarded Manchester United a dubious penalty against Spurs last season and Redknapp is clearly unhappy with the official.

"It was a nailed on penalty but he (Keane) tried to stay up," said Redknapp. "They don't want people diving, but if he felt he dived, why didn't he give him a yellow or a red card?

"It's either a penalty or a red card. We had a diabolical penalty decision at Old Trafford last season when we were 2-0 up and he gave it. He apologised for that.

"We were much the better team for the first half-hour and gave them all kinds of problems, but Ledley going off was a big turning point.

"Once we lost Ledley there was no way we could deal with Didier Drogba.

"In the first half-hour I was delighted and, at half-time, I thought we could win it.

"Then the penalty. If Robbie goes down with the first contact, it's a penalty.

"He was too honest. If he goes over, it's a penalty. If the referee doesn't feel it's a penalty and it's a dive, he should send him off. It's got to be one or the other, not nothing.

"He apologised after Old Trafford last year. But, given all the talk there's been about diving, he's tried to stay on his feet. I think it plays on people's minds.

"They're scared that if they go down they're going to get a card. I don't want to see people diving if they've not been touched.

"I think he lost his balance. He (Carvalho) has caught him and Robbie's tried to stay on his feet. I suppose it was a sending off for Carvalho too."

Redknapp's problems were compounded by a head injury to Sebastien Bassong. He was stretchered off late in the second half and with Michael Dawson and Jonathan Woodgate still unfit, Redknapp faces a real crisis.

King does not train in the week because of a long-standing knee problem and Redknapp added: "I've suddenly lost three of my best centre-halves.

"Ledley has done his hamstring. He's the most fantastic person and player, and he's so important for us, but if you don't train you can't just go out and play without doing hamstrings, groins or calves.

"Bassong doesn't look too good, either. He got a bang on the head and his eye's all swollen up. It doesn't look too clever at all. I think the doctor has taken him to hospital with concussion.

"Woodgate's nowhere near playing again. He went to see a specialist again yesterday and he just can't train.

"We haven't got to the bottom of the injury at all, what's causing him discomfort. Dawson has a chance, he's the one.

"Jonathan had an operation last season and he's come back no better.

"The penalty decision, Ledley going off, they were the turning points. We defended abysmally for the second goal but we couldn't handle Drogba.

"I said to Kevin Bond as soon as Ledley went that I knew we couldn't handle him. He'd bully us. He was too strong."