Ronald Koeman has defended Sadio Mane after the midfielder’s horror miss at Tottenham.
The £10m summer signing was unmarked six yards out in the centre of goal as he met a Ryan Bertrand cross six minutes from time with Saints trailing 1-0 at White Hart Lane.
Mane fluffed his effort and Saints were defeated by former manager Mauricio Pochettino and their run of six straight wins in all competitions came to an end.
Koeman, though, was in no mood to blame Mane.
“It’s part of football,” he said.
“Sometimes you score and sometimes not.
“He had two good chances in this game, in the first half a good one as well and the second half a good one.
“He was playing good, he was fast, he was doing his best and missing chances is part of football.”
He added: “I am disappointed about the final result but not disappointed about our performance.
“We knew it was difficult because in the first half they did great pressing. It was not easy to create opportunities.
“It was a pity they scored before half time.
“We spoke at half time about keeping good organisation in the second half and little by little we had to push up a little more and we did that very good.
“We got maybe the best chance in the game for Mane and unlucky but that is football.”
Koeman also appeared fairly relaxed about referee Michael Jones’ decision only to book Younes Kaboul after the Spurs skipper brought down Mane early in the second half.
It was a debatable free kick but once given, with Kaboul as the last man, the yellow card he received seemed very generous.
“It was difficult,” reflected Koeman.
“You can discuss if it’s a fault because Kaboul is a very strong, physical player.
“But if you make a whistle as the referee then you have to think about situation but I have to watch it on television.
“I think the yellow card was fair.”
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