Queens Park Rangers midfielder Adel Taarabt has refuted claims made by manager Harry Redknapp that he is overweight and unfit for selection.
The Morocco international was a notable omission in the squad for Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Liverpool, with Redknapp claiming afterwards that the 25-year-old is "about three stone overweight".
"I am a professional - this is not about retaliation, this is about protecting my reputation," Taarabt told the Daily Mail.
"I played in that reserve game for 90 minutes and if he didn't think I was running he could have taken me off. Maybe I didn't perform like I could because it was a reserve team game and I was protecting myself.
"My job is to create, bring goals to the team. Maybe he expects me to make more tackles. I am not this type of player. I can only get fitness playing Premier League. You can train six or seven hours, but you won't be fit."
Taarabt has played just 25 minutes of Premier League football for Rangers so far this season.
Shane Callaghan
