Premiership: Bassett pleads for Spurs' Taricco

Dave Bassett has urged the Football Association not to take action against Mauricio Taricco after he branded the Tottenham defender a ‘‘diver’’ and a ‘‘cheat’’ on Saturday.

Leicester Boss Bassett was furious with Taricco following his side’s 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane, and he accused the Argentine of getting Andrew Impey booked seven minutes from the end of the game.

There were fears from Spurs that Bassett’s comments would prompt the FA’s video panel to study the incident.

However, Bassett insisted yesterday that many of his post-match comments should not have been taken literally and that, as far as he was concerned, the matter was now closed.

Bassett said: ‘‘I was asked a question to which I gave an honest and forthright answer but I had not expected my comments to be taken quite so literally.

‘‘I stand by my view of what happened on the pitch but I do not wish for there to be any more continuing debate about one isolated incident.

‘‘I do not wish to see the FA, nor anyone else for that matter, investigate or be involved. As far as I am concerned the matter is now closed.’’