Norwich City boss Chris Hughton insisted the Canaries were denied another clear penalty on top of Grant Holt's stoppage time spot kick saved by Southampton's Artur Boruc in a goalless Premier League draw at Carrow Road.

Holt was adjduged to have been pushed by Luke Shaw in the dying seconds but Boruc guessed correctly to dive to his right to push away the skipper's drilled spot kick. Angry Saints' boss Mauro Pochettino confronted referee Mark Clattenburg on the pitch at the final whistle but Hughton was adamant City should have been awarded a penalty in the first period when Holt was tugged back by Shaw inside the six yard box.

'On the penalty decisions we certainly should have had one in that first half period when (Luke) Shaw pulls back Grant. It was our first penalty of the season. We certainly deserved it. Grant has got himself ball side of the defender. Do I think there was contact? Yes, I do. Whether there was enough to give a penalty of course he has to make that decision and he has an assistant on that side to make it. If we think that was soft certainly the first one wasn't. 'What you have got is two teams fighting for their lives. Southampton is a good team. They have a lot of good attacking players. They have got quality offensively. They pack midfield. I decided to go 4-4-2 today which means perhaps we were going to be a little bit more open but you hope you get the benefits in the other part of the pitch. I thought we had the better chances.'

Pochettino apologised in his post-match media briefing to the match official but the young Argentine could face disciplinary action for his reaction.

'In that moment you do not really control your emotions or your anger,' he said. 'I thought it was a complete unfairness to us. That is my opinion. What I said to the referee stays on the pitch. I know I should not have gone on the pitch and I apologise but sometimes you lose control a little bit - us managers really have to control ourselves but I am playing the game as well on the sidelines.'