PLAYERS and managers alike are continually asking the men in the middle for just one thing - consistency!

Last week's action in the Premiership again raised the subject, with Paul Ince and Leeds' Robbie Keane in the spotlight. In the Tees-Wear derby Ince got his marching orders for clashing with Niall Quinn.

The incident appeared fairly innocuous but Ince did raise his hands, and under the rules referee Mark Halsey had no option but to show him the red card.

Halsey, by no means card-happy, has managed to hand out two reds and 15 yellows this term.

But on Saturday Dermot Gallagher, officiating at the Manchester United against Leeds encounter, kept his red card firmly in his pocket when Keane had his hands all over David Beckham.

The England skipper made the most of it, but even O'Leary thought his player was lucky to stay on the pitch. Not surprisingly Sir Alex Ferguson agreed with him, but in this case Sir Alex was in the right.

"The new referee's edict this season states that if you raise your hands you're off," said Sir Alex.

"'If it had been in Europe he would have walked. If it had been the other Keane (Roy) he would have been off.''

Ince knows the rules and so does Keane - Ince walked but Keane didn't.

The fact that Gallagher has not issued a red card this season is in itself no crime, but managers will look at the statistic and come to their own conclusions.

On Saturday Keane reacted badly to what was a heavy challenge from Beckham. It appeared that Gallagher weighed up his options and decided that if he sent off Keane, then maybe he would have to send off England skipper Beckham.

The difference was that Halsey had no doubts that Quinn's offence warranted yellow, but Ince's retaliation deserved a red card. The result is that Steve McClaren and Boro fans will watch both incidents and wonder why their man is facing a three-match ban.

The pressure was probably higher in a full Old Trafford on Saturday, than in a disappointingly less than full Riverside last week. But, as a referee, if you can't handle the pressure then you shouldn't be there.

Yesterday the lack of consistency was again evident when former Boro star Fabrizio Ravanelli raised his hands to Chelsea's Marcel Desailly - the result a yellow card.

On Saturday Jeff Winter used his head in what was, admittedly, a far from bruising encounter at Goodison Park. As soon as he saw Newcastle's over-excitable forward Craig Bellamy getting, well, over excited, he immediately told him to 'button it'.

Admittedly he had to repeat the order on one or two other occasions, but the Welshman got the message.

Winter also repeatedly warned Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer about back-chat, and when he didn't retreat ten yards at one set piece he was booked.

Solano did the same thing soon after and he was also booked.

Winter showed consistency, but what must now happen is for all referees to show a collective consistency.

If they change laws then they themselves must all abide by those laws - or players and managers will continue to lose faith in the officials