Skip to content

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson brands referee Mike Dean 'arrogant' after defeat at Tottenham

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson was furious with Mike Dean's decision to award Spurs a penalty

Leicester manager Nigel Pearson has launched a scathing assessment of referee Mike Dean and branded him “one of the most arrogant men” he has ever met.

Pearson, whose side were beaten 4-3 in a thriller at White Hart Lane, was furious with Dean after he awarded Tottenham a contentious penalty at 2-2, converted by Harry Kane.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson was furious with Mike Dean's decision to award Spurs a penalty

Foxes striker Nugent appeared to foul Danny Rose inside the box but Pearson labelled the decision “dubious” and believes his side are consistently on the receiving end of decisions against them.

“I find it difficult to accept we have to deal with another contentious decision that’s not gone our way,” Pearson told Sky Sports.

“It is two players colliding. Dave would be the first to admit that he should have dealt with earlier but I find the length of time it took to decide that two players colliding in the box is a penalty bizarre.

“What’s the point of talking to him? He’s one of the most arrogant people I’ve ever met. The arrogance of him is frightening at times.

“We’ve got this situation where there’s a lot of talk about the spirit of the game, players going around referees, but there’s got to be an element of fairness and I really feel at the moment that we are being short-changed.

More from Tottenham V Leicester

“I’m not saying it’s deliberate but we can’t be on the receiving end of so many poor decisions.”

Leicester remain bottom of the Premier League with just four wins all season, and they have only nine games left to make up an eight-point deficit on fourth-bottom Sunderland.

Pearson said: “What I will say about our players is that they absolutely gave everything and I’m sure Spurs will feel, despite scoring four goals, quite relieved in their dressing room.

“Now it’s nine games and it remains a very frustrating season for us because of the level of performance and yet we’re not quite getting over the line with results.

“We’ve had to deal with a number of set-backs today and the players have not only shown spirit but game understanding and put in a good performance.”

Around Sky