United manager Simon Grayson expressed his surprise after hearing Lloyd Sam being accused of a "shocking challenge" during the final moments of Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Hull.

Play was held up for seven minutes while Liam Rosenior received treatment following a clash with Sam, and it later transpired that the Hull defender had been taken to hospital with a serious neck injury.

Referee Graham Salisbury was close to the incident, and neither set of players reacted when Rosenior went down injured.

But Hull boss Nigel Pearson was quick to blast Sam's challenge: "He led with his arm and it's a bit of a coward's challenge. I didn't realise how bad it was but I've seen it again and I'm not happy with it. It's a shocking challenge."

On learning of Pearson's comments, the Leedsd boss was prompted to review the incident on DVD before responding: "Lloyd isn't like that at all.

"He has caught him with his arm, I'm not disputing that, but there was no malice in it whatsoever. The referee was stood right over it and I'm sure he would have done something if he thought it was wrong.

"Lloyd isn't that sort of player or that sort of lad. He hasn't got a bad bone in his body. If he was out of order I would say so, but he wasn't.

"Those are normally the type of challenges that he runs away from!

"Listen, we wish the lad well and hope all is okay, but there was nothing deliberate from Lloyd."