Gravesen defends physical approach.

Last updated : 19 March 2002 By Austin Rathe

Gravesen was sent off for a second bookable aoffence against Fulham, but video evidence reveales that he made very little, if any, contact with the Fulham player

He said "I couldn't get a seat in the Main Stand so I ended up watching the rest of the game with a few of the reserve players in the players' lounge.I was incredibly nervous watching us trying to hang on and I was so relieved at the final whistle.

"I was worried that if Fulham had pulled it back I would have been the scapegoat.

"The blame would have been on me and that was the last thing I needed after just getting back in favour at Everton. It would have been particularly worrying with a new manager who is just forming opinions about players. We looked at the incident again on video after the game and there was no contact, so the Fulham player didn't do me any favours by taking a dive. That's very frustrating, especially as a lot of people have had plenty to say about the way I play.

"People in Denmark are always saying 'You can't trust Thomas Gravesen to keep his cool'.

"It is something I've had to put up with but I do accept that I have to take care. Morten Olsen says that to me and if David Moyes says the same I will do my best to take it on board but it is a very physical game in the Premiership. I do accept what the manager says about being more careful but I'm glad he said he doesn't want to change my committed approach."