I think there is something on this: last time we were up there, there was some decision that evolving McBurnie being challenged in the box and a penalty claim. Clattenburg was doing the ref punditry, his response was “if you know Oli McBurnie, and you know Sheffield United, you know he has committed the foul” (along those lines, the first bit is word for word). Refs DO treat teams differently, it’s the same across all divisions.
What surprises me though is that refs aren’t warned about listening to the crowds at OLd Trafford, Anfield, Etihad etc