'We should win this game' - Ralph Hasenhuttl on Southampton's Leeds United draw and officiating
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Leeds made the brighter start to the game and took the lead through Jack Harrison before their visitors grew into the contest and levelled early in the second half through a superb James Ward-Prowse free-kick.
Both sides had chances to nick a second goal and although Jesse Marsch insisted Leeds would have deserved it, Hasenhuttl saw it differently.
"I think it was the expected game today," he said.
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Hide Ad"I spoke before the game that it would be like ping pong, two teams who like to play quick forward. We tried to avoid playing in our own half, we knew pressing would be intense, we wouldn't have much time. Their behaviour is similar to ours. We had more chances, the better ones, we had been closer to win this game. We take the point, it's a good step forward in an intense atmosphere and game. To go away with a point is okay."
Hasenhuttl was seen remonstrating with the officials after Leeds took the lead, clearly believing Armando Broja to have been fouled in the build-up, but after the game he took more of an issue with his side's defending.
"I think it was a tough game for the ref, lots of fouls and intense duels," said the Austrian.
"Broja is quick when the ball is passed, the only chance to stop him is with a body, so it's up to ref to decide, he said no but we cannot complain, we have to defend and we didn’t in this moment. We conceded a goal where we normally have a chance for us. Annoying and disappointing. The good thing is we adapted at half-time, we had a few issues with our sixes, a little too high, second half much much better. In the end we had the bigger chances, we should win this game."
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Hide AdHasenhuttl did however suggest that referee Anthony Taylor could have afforded more protection to Kyle Walker-Peters, who caused real problems for Leeds down their right flank and won the free-kick that Ward-Prowse put in Illan Meslier's top corner.
"Today there were several situations where it was a clear foul on him, the only way to stop him," said the Saints boss.
"It’s not always easy to find the right decision for the referee. It should get better from him. Everyone knows he’s hard to stop in 1v1s. It's not the first time we’ve seen him going down, passing the player, and not getting foul. I normally like it, ref not stopping the game and letting it run but sometimes it’s…"
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