NEIL Warnock has told Swansea counterpart Paulo Sousa to keep his mouth shut after the Eagles’ 1-0 defeat last night at Selhurst Park.

The Portuguese boss was reported as saying financial stricken Crystal Palace should have been relegated as a result of entering administration and despite Sousa claiming he was misquoted afterwards, Warnock stormed it was too little, too late.

He said: “The damage was already done, you write the story and apologise after when you read about it.

“Paulo has got a lot to learn as well. He is a good manager but he should keep his mouth shut when he does not understand the circumstances.

“He should keep his mouth shut until he finds out what has happened.

“If he wanted to know what happened, he could phone me up before he comments.

“Anybody can spout off when you are fourth in the league.

“I didn’t hear him talking too often when he was at QPR.

“There is a time and a place for a manager to say something and that is not in the press, so he should keep things to himself.”

On a night where the Eagles were outplayed for large periods of the game, matters were made worse when Crystal Palace old boy Shefki Kuqi scored the only goal of the game on his first return to SE25 since leaving in the summer.

However, Warnock was more concerned with the performance of the officials rather than the returning Finn.

He explained: “I never had a problem with Shefki. It is not his fault someone paid silly money for him.

“However, I thought we could have got a few more free-kicks given but obviously the referee wasn’t giving them.

“He never gave anything for anyone who stood up, the only time he gave something was when one of their lads went down, then he gave a free kick, but you have to play to the referee.”

Warnock added: “The first half epitomised the referee.

“The throw comes in to Alan Lee and he is absolutely clattered - if you look at the replays it is embarrassing.

“And then the next throw that comes in after that, he gives a free-kick against Lee for absolutely nothing in comparison.

“He was so hesitant, him and the linesman.

“A number of times neither of them knew which decision to give.

“It was like toss a coin to decide which way.

“I thought he had a poor game tonight in the circumstances.”

The only positive Warnock could take from the game was the continuing effort of his players in uncertain times for the Eagles.

He said: “I am delighted with the effort we put in in the circumstances and I can’t fault any of them.

“We lost two centre halves in the morning.

“Johnny Ertl had not trained in two weeks and ended up playing 90 minutes - you can’t ask any more really.

“I was disappointed with the goal because that gave them the confidence and they are already one of the best sides in the division.

“They are definitely the best passing side, so the goal gave them a lift and I was glad to get to half-time.

“But second half I thought we were super.

“I thought we could have punished them with some better crossing at one or two opportunities, but they are very difficult to play against and will take some stopping.

“All we can do is look forward to Sunday now.”