‘Why would I care what Tom Cleverley thinks?’: Portsmouth boss dismisses Watford counterpart's criticism

And the Pompey boss underlined he stands by his post-match comments and conduct in a fiery Boxing Day clash with Watford.

It proved a tinderbox affair at Vicarage Road on afternoon full of controversy, with officials incorrectly awarding the home side a key penalty and Kwadwo Baah sent off after the full-time whistle for provoking Pompey players and fans.

Mousinho made it clear what his position was if Baah’s behaviour had come from a player in his camp, stating they wouldn’t play for Pompey again.

The Blues head coach stands by that viewpoint and was totally indifferent to Cleverley criticism suggesting his touchline behaviour proved costly to his side.

Mousinho told The News today: ‘It was a good game of Championship football we lost - and we have to take that on the chin.

‘I was very disappointed with the manner we lost the game. We were well worth a point and we could have nicked it towards the back end.

‘There was a lot of frustration in the changing room and staff - and we’ll always look at what we can do better.

‘But as far as anything external, I genuinely don’t care.

‘My response (to Baah’s behaviour) was what would happen if one of my players did it. I stick by that - if one of my players does that they aren’t playing for Portsmouth again.

‘And the second I start caring about what Tom Cleverley says, then whack me over the head and tell me I’m doing the wrong job.

‘That’s unless he buys the football club and I’ll start paying attention to what he says!’

Mousinho did pick up a caution in the second half in the wake of Watford’s leveller from the spot, but he confirmed that had nothing to do anything he said to the officials.

And that happening with no comeback on the Watford staff for their conduct in the wake of their winner, was an uneven approach from the officials in Mousinho’s eyes.

He explained: ‘I took the booking for an untidy bench.

‘What happened was in the aftermath (of the penalty) no one knew what was going on.

‘It wasn’t anything I said to the fourth official, but we had a couple of people on the pitch. So I took the booking for the untidy bench and the buck has to stop with someone - that’s absolutely fine.

‘The big question I posed to all the officials on the day was: if you’re going to book me for that, you should take a very strong look at what happened on the Watford bench throughout the game and for the second goal as well.

‘They can’t have it both ways, the officials, is what I’m saying. They can’t have it both ways. I still feel really aggrieved about that, I think it’s really, really poor refereeing.’