Ronald Koeman backed referee Mike Dean after he awarded Saints a first half penalty in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea.
Sadio Mane went down in the box under the combined challenge of Nemanja Matic and Branislav Ivanovic, prompting Dean to award a spot kick, which was converted by Dusan Tadic.
The ref later denied Chelsea a penalty when Ivanovic went down in the Saints box and also opted not show a second yellow card to Matic moments after the start of the second half.
Koeman felt Dean did well.
“In my opinion a penalty, yes,” he said.
“You have always moments and it’s difficult for referees, even in the penalty.
“I think it’s a penalty and then fast in the second half it’s a foul (by Matic) that maybe can be a yellow card and that means a second one.
“I am not supporting referees showing eight, nine, ten yellow cards every game.
“You need to be straight in every occasion. I think the referee did a great job.”
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