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Garry Monk slams 'extremely soft' penalty, hails Swansea performance

Under-pressure Swansea boss Garry Monk was defiant in his side's 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, insisting his side did not perform like a team which has won just once since the end of August.

James Milner's penalty following a Neil Taylor handball proved the difference between the sides, and Monk hailed the Swans' performance on the day.

"From minute one we were excellent today, from start to finish we limited a good Liverpool side to virtually nothing, we were never in danger," Monk said.

"We could have done a bit more in the final third but I can't complain at all, I feel gutted for the players who were excellent today and deserved a lot more than they got.

"At the end of the day it is my responsibility for results and results haven't been good enough in this period but that did not look like a team in trouble did it?"

Monk was unhappy about the award of the penalty, which came when Taylor was adjudged to have handled Jordon Ibe's cross.

"The penalty was extremely soft," he said.

"It hits his elbow, Neil is facing the other way. I thought handball had to be intentional and it clearly wasn't but the linesman put his flag up quickly.

"To lose the game on a decision which was out of our hands is extremely disappointing.

"It has kind of been part of the problem in this period in that the decisions you need to go for you go against you but it isn't an excuse.

"I'm not looking for excuses. I accept full responsibility for this run of results."