Saturday 1 November 2014 21:16, UK
Neil Warnock hit out at the officials after Crystal Palace's 2-2 draw with West Brom, claiming his goalkeeper Julian Speroni was "almost assaulted".
Palace were leading 2-0 at the Hawthorns when goalkeeper Speroni received an elbow to the face from Craig Dawson as they contested a high ball allowing Victor Anichebe to start West Brom’s revival, with the game eventually ending 2-2.
Speroni wouldn’t see out the match and despite returning to his feet after treatment he was substituted against his own wishes by the Palace manager.
And Warnock says the decision was necessary because his player was not being protected by referee Mark Clattenburg.
The physio said he’s okay and I said ‘no he’s not’
"The physio said he’s okay and I said ‘no he’s not’," Warnock told Sky Sports.
"I’m the only guy that can protect him, not the physios. He got smashed, absolutely smashed. I don’t even think he knew he wanted to stay on.
"If officials can’t see a smash like that then I’ve got to protect my goalkeeper. [West Brom will] think ‘we’ve got away with it once, we’ll do it again’. I’m not prepared to let Julian take two smashes like that.
"It’s almost an assault. He comes from two or three yards away and smashes him in the face. I don’t understand why at least one of the officials can’t see that.
"That’s a turning point in the game, it gives them a lift and it should have been a free-kick."
Referring to Wilfried Zaha’s ignored penalty appeal when he was seemingly felled in the box by Dawson, Warnock said: "They’ve missed two great decisions for us which would have changed the whole game so I’m disappointed and deflated."
