'I didn't call Sanchez a cheat'

Tony Pulis insists he did not call Alexis Sanchez a cheat, but the West Brom manager wants all officials to "be absolutely spot on" when awarding free-kicks in the future.

The Baggies boss was furious when referee Bobby Madley blew for a foul on Sanchez in the opening minutes of Arsenal's 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.

Pulis – who also felt his side were denied a clear penalty after Shkodran Mustafi caught Jay Rodriguez when the score was still 0-0 – accused the Chile forward of simulation during his post-match interview with Sky Sports.

Speaking ahead of West Brom's home game with Watford on Saturday, the Welshman made clear it was not a personal attack, but his honest appraisal of the incident.

"Free kicks around the edge of the box are almost as dangerous as taking penalties."

"I didn't call him a cheat – I said the incident was cheating," Pulis told the media.

"Simulation is cheating, whoever does it. In the modern game, with the players technically so good and the ball so light, free-kicks around the edge of the box are almost as dangerous as penalties.

"Referees and officials should take that into consideration. Giving free-kicks in those areas have to be absolutely spot on.

"They talk about being correct with penalty decisions, that it's a 100 per cent call; anything around the box that they're not sure on, they shouldn't give. I was disappointed [after the Arsenal game] but that game has moved on now."