“If he wasn’t quite so arrogant he’d probably be embarrassed about missing a tackle like this.”
Matt Le Tissier offered withering criticism of Mike Dean’s performance during Chelsea’s win over Southampton after the referee failed to punish Marcos Alonso for a shocking studs-up challenge on Shane Long.
The Chelsea defender left the Ireland striker in a heap on the floor after clamping his studs down into the Southampton man’s calf.
Dean and his linesman failed to spot the incident and Southampton’s sense of injustice was only compounded when Alonso contributed to Chelsea’s fightback, teeing up Olivier Giroud for the Frenchman’s first goal.
That goal brought Chelsea back into the game after going 2-0 behind. Another Giroud goal and an Eden Hazard strike wrapped up the points for Antonio Conte’s men, leaving Mark Hughes incensed.
“I’ve seen Marcos Alonso’s tackle on Shane Long again – it’s a clear red card and clear intent to hurt Shane,” Hughes fumed. “It could’ve broken his leg. There were three officials within five to 10 yards so how each of them missed it is a mystery to me.”
However, speaking on Sky Sports, Le Tissier went one further than Hughes by calling Dean arrogant.
“How this is not seen by the referee is quite bizarre,” the Southampton legend said. “If he wasn’t quite so arrogant he’d probably be embarrassed about missing a tackle like this.
“There is one thing in his mind there, and that is to hurt Shane Long and Mike Dean is looking right at the incident. How on earth he misses this is incredible.
Is there a worse ref than mike dean
— Matt Le Tissier (@mattletiss7) April 14, 2018
“This is a joke by Mike Dean,” Denis Wise added. “He knows what’s gone on. He’s taken a blind eye to it. And he will turn around and say ‘I never saw it.'”
“If he didn’t see that, one: he shouldn’t be refereeing, and two: he needs glasses. That’s a red card.”
