The complaint does, however, contrast sharply with the post-match comments made by the Charlton manager, Alan Curbishley, who said on Saturday: “It looked like an artificial surface but there’s no way that it has cost us the match.”All the talk was about the pitch and perhaps some of my players were still thinking about it in the first 10 minutes. Chelsea have been playing on it but I can’t blame that for us getting beaten. Our defending let us down.”The feeling at Charlton, now, is that they were “good sports at the time” but on reflection feel an injustice has taken place.The referee, Mike Dean, is believed to have made detailed reference about the state of the pitch in his match report. However, he did pass it as playable after an inspection saying it was a “flat surface”, although Charlton say they did contest his view. “At no time before the fixture were we informed by Chelsea that we would be playing on an artificial sand surface and not grass,” Varney said.”On arriving at Stamford Bridge we were advised by Chelsea that the game was in doubt and the pitch was being inspected by Mike Dean.

Our manager, Alan Curbishley, immediately raised the matter with the referee and was advised the pitch met the League criteria of ‘being flat’, and on this basis the match would go ahead.”The strength of Charlton’s case will rest simply on whether or not the Stamford Bridge surface is deemed to have been “artificial”. It may be too hard to prove, even though turf and soil was removed.Chelsea said in a statement that they were aware of the complaint and would co-operate “fully”. The Premier League said last night that it had launched its investigation into the complaint which was “unprecedented”. “It will have to come down to what is defined as an artificial surface,” a spokesman said. “The next step is for us to receive counter evidence from Chelsea.”The investigation may take some time, he said.. Arsene Wenger is hoping to sign the French Under-21 goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau from Bastia as he sees him as the long-term successor to David Seaman. Bastia want £2.5m for the player.Fulham, meanwhile, are set to clinch the signing of Tottenham’s unsettled Ukrainian Sergei Rebrov for £1m in the next 24 hours.The deal will pave the way for Glenn Hoddle to make his own transfer moves, with Bolton’s Michael Ricketts the No 1 target for around £3.5m.Gary Doherty will be allowed to leave Tottenham for £1m.

The club are also set to release Les Ferdinand to West Ham and Tim Sherwood to Portsmouth.Leeds United are to start negotiations with the Brazilian Kleberson after his 15-year-old bride-to-be agreed to his marriage proposal. Leeds are set to receive £7m for Robbie Fowler following his move to Manchester City and are willing to part with £4m of it.Blackburn have failed in their attempt to sign the Spanish international left-back, Garcia Juanfran, from Celta Vigo. Celta were asking for £4m.Nicky Butt returned to action for Manchester United’s reserves on Tuesday after three months out with an ankle injury. Butt played 54 minutes and scored in a 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.The Newcastle United midfielder Gary Speed is in line for a return to action four weeks after hernia surgery. His colleague, defender Titus Bramble, is also nearing full fitness.The Football Association has been warned that their flouting of rules on suspensions will be discussed by the sport’s world governing body, Fifa, following the treatment of the Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.