Mauricio Pochettino hits out at unfair refereeing against Southampton

Mauricio Pochettino has slammed Premier League referees and claims that his Southampton side have been unfairly treated at times this season.

The Saints had two penalty appeals turned down by Mark Clattenburg on Sunday as they lost 2-1 to Everton at Goodison Park, and Pochettino says that he is not "dumb" enough to remain tight-lipped about the situation.

"I think in the end if you don't talk you seem almost as if you are dumb so I am talking because I want to defend my club," Pochettino said in a press conference. "It's my duty to defend my club.

"These things need to be said and I am actually defending my club because it is my club and I think if I don't talk I am going to seem as if I am dumb or I don't care about my club. I don't mean any disrespect against any referees but anyone that could have seen the game on Sunday can see there were two clear penalties that weren't given and should have been given.

"That would have changed the game completely but they weren't given and of course we are angry and upset about that. I am saying things that should not be forgotten in the overall analysis of the game and they need to be said. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone but there were two clear penalties that weren't given and that's very frustrating."

Southampton host Chelsea at St Mary's on New Year's Day.