Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has said that referee Mike Dean is responsible for his side’s defeat in the first leg of the Carling cup semi-final. Cardiff City lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the Carling cup semifinals and now face an uphill task to make it into the finals.
This is a great opportunity for a Championship side to win one of the four major tournaments for English clubs. Predictably, Malky Mackay was unhappy with the way his side were denied the equaliser in the 59th minute. The only consolation for Cardiff City will be in the form of the second leg, which will be at home.
Still, Malky Mackay was very annoyed after the match in which Crystal Palace secured a win. Referee Mike Dean had blown the whistle for a foul on the Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni. It would have been a great equaliser for Cardiff City after Kenny Miller’s header appeared to have provided the necessary response from Malky Mackay’s men. Anthony Gardner scored in the 43rd-minute with a good header, which places Crystal Palace in a great position to take on Cardiff City in the second leg against the two sides on January 24.
“He’s had an absolute howler. Anyone that will see the pictures will probably tell you that. Not one of our players has gone anywhere near the goalkeeper, which is what he’s suggested the foul was for,” said Mackay referring to the referee Mike Dean. Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, Liverpool overcame Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in a closely fought encounter. Liverpool took the lead through Steven Gerrard’s penalty, which ultimately proved to be the winner. As it stands, Liverpool will be facing Crystal Palace in the final of the Carling cup.