Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen has insisted that Watford striker Troy Deeney is "a good guy", despite an unsavoury incident between the pair on Saturday afternoon.

Deeney appeared to gouge the cheek of Allen during an exchange in the closing stages of Stoke's 1-0 win at Vicarage Road, but the Welsh international has attempted to play down the confrontation.

The 27-year-old is quoted by The Mirror as saying: "It was handbags really and there was nothing to it. I like Troy, he's one of the good guys, he's a really good player and it was nothing personal.

"We were clinging on at the end and expecting the ball back because we had a man down injured, they were chasing the equaliser and decided to play on.

"I was disappointed to get a yellow card because it means I'm now walking a bit of a tightrope, but these things happen and there wasn't really anything to it."

Former Premier League official Dermot Gallagher has claimed that Deeney - who could still face retrospective action - should have received a red card.