Laudrup 'angry' at ref Dean

Laudrup 'angry' at ref Dean

Published Dec. 17, 2012 6:15 a.m. ET

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup criticised referee Mike Dean for allowing play to continue while his striker Michu lay injured in the closing stages of a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham.

Michu was caught by Hugo Lloris as the goalkeeper punched the ball clear and fell heavily to the floor but, while those players closest to the stricken forward furiously waved to the touchline for medical assistance, Spurs were allowed to play on.

Laudrup has no complaints at the result, sealed earlier by Jan Vertonghen (75), but fumed that the game was not stopped for a head injury.

"I was very angry," Laudrup told Sky Sports. "I didn't ask for a free-kick or a penalty but if someone falls down like that, with a head injury, then there's only one thing to do - the referee has to blow the whistle.

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"I looked at him when Michu goes down - the referee's watching him, the linesman's watching him and still they let the play carry on. That was poor refereeing.

"Michu seems ok, he's still a little (dazed). Luckily it wasn't serious so I'm happy about that but I'm still angry about the decision."

Laudrup's side have lost consecutive Premier League games after a previous seven-match unbeaten run but the Dane took positives from his team's performance.

"We knew it was a very good team, we knew the first half would be more difficult than the second and that was how it went," he added. "Even if we didn't play at our best, away to Tottenham, against a very good team, we were there until the last second.

"I'm still quite pleased with what I saw today. There are different ways of losing - I never like to lose, it's zero points - but I think the players did well.

"We just missed the last 10 per cent in the attacking half but we still created four or five chances."

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