Pulis hits back over 'selective' Murphy

Murphy claimed players are being injured because certain managers are sending their teams out too fired up, with the Potters one of three clubs – along with Blackburn and Wolves – that he named specifically.

His comments have created a storm and after Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce challenged Murphy to publicly apologise for the remarks, Pulis said in a statement: “Two challenges this season have been committed by top players who represented their countries at this summer’s World Cup.

“One challenge on Newcastle’s Hatem Ben Arfa by Nigel de Jong of Manchester City recently led to a broken bone.

“Another by Joe Cole, one of our most technically gifted players, resulted in a sending-off for one of our most celebrated clubs in the country, Liverpool.”

He went on: “How ironic it is that Danny Murphy chose not to discuss either challenge or manager in respect of those tackles. How selective can someone be?

“Maybe Murphy’s pursuit of a new career in the media does not allow him to criticise, or fall out with the Premier League big boys.”