Officials told Watford boss it was a 'calculated push'

The striker was running onto a pass from Joao Pedro and appeared to be raising his leg to shoot when he fell sideways under a challenge.

Slaven Bilic said after the game that when he asked the officials why it had not been given they didn’t deny there was contact, but used the phrase it was ‘a calculated push’.

“I haven’t seen it again yet, but to me it looked like a push. It was 100% a push. Davis is clear in the box, he’s one v one and he is pushed,” said Bilic.

“Then I was told, it was a calculated push or an expected push. A push is a push, and it was a push from behind.

Keinan Davis about to shoot and then being knocked over (Image: Sky Sports)

“I’ve never understood that kind of thing. As a player, when something happens from behind I’m not aware of that. I can’t see it.

“When it’s shoulder to shoulder you can see it, and you can prepare for it. But when something comes from behind then it’s a foul.

“It doesn’t require a very strong push from behind to put you off balance. He’s there in the box and he’s clear.

“I wouldn’t complain if he said it wasn’t a push, but to tell me it was a push but it was an expected push. What does that even mean?

“I’m not happy with explanation. He admits it was a push, and it was a push from behind. That is a foul.”

Bilic was also quizzed on midfielder Imran Louza, who made his first start since October but was then withdrawn 13 minutes into the second half.

“We still have a few players where we have to be negotiating with the medical staff,” he said.

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“I would never take Louza off the pitch if I could. He gives you balance, he brings you 30 yards forward without kicking the ball.

“But today it was like he would play 45 minutes. Then I asked him at half-time and he wanted to play on, and I also wanted him to.

“But after 60 minutes it would be extremely dangerous and we have a lot of important games in front of us, so we had to sub him to make him ready for Preston.”

Victory for Watford at Bramall Lane and a win for Middlesbrough could have closed the gap between second and third to two points – instead the Blades have a seven-point buffer.

“Before this game, we were not thinking about the first two positions, we want to be in the top six,” said Bilic.

“That’s our job. If you win all the remaining games then you have a chance to be in the top two. But realistically we want to reach the play-offs.

“Middlesbrough lost today – the Championship is very well known for those sort of results. When everything looks sorted, something happens.

“There is always a chance that someone chasing the top two wins eight in a row and then the panic will come.”