Liverpool last night notched a much-needed win in their race for
Champions League qualification but the victory was overshadowed
when Steven Gerrard appeared to floor Portsmouth's Michael Brown
with a swinging arm.
The Reds' captain escaped a yellow card but was immediately
substituted in the second half of the 4-1 triumph at Anfield.
Only a week ago Gerrard found himself in a similar situation for
an alleged v-sign made at referee Andre Marriner in the defeat at
Wigan. That went no further as the official said he had seen the
incident at the time and decided it did not warrant any action.
Liverpool's hero was Fernando Torres, who scored his 14th and
15th goals in the Premier League this season, with Ryan Babel and
Alberto Aquilani - registering his first in English football - also
on target before Nadir Belhadj's late consolation.
Flashpoint: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard gestures
as Michael Brown of Portsmouth lies injured
But Gerrard's apparent forearm to the back of Brown's neck was
the main talking point of the evening.
Referee Stuart Attwell was very close to the incident but took
no action but it remains to be seen whether he will be asked to
look at it again by the Football Association. Liverpool
manager Rafael Benitez is confident, however, that Gerrard will
escape retrospective action for the clash.
'I don't think so,' said the Spaniard when asked if he was
worried about punishment against his captain. 'I haven't seen it
but I was asking and I think it was nothing.'
Benitez also played down the immediate substitution of Gerrard,
adding: 'We were thinking of changing Torres, Glen Johnson and
Gerrard and we did it.'
Job done: Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez shakes hands
with Gerrard as the skipper is substituted
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant said he also did not see the
incident but felt Attwell should have spotted it.
'I didn't see it. I will speak with Michael Brown and then I
will tell you,' he said. 'They told me the referee was four metres
away from this so I think the referee needs to see from four metres
what I didn't from 40 metres,' he said. 'Personally I like Steven
Gerrard. I think he is a good player and a fair player.'
Benitez was more happy to talk about his team's performance. 'It
was a good game. We were trying to play well for the fans and score
goals,' he added.
'It was an important goal in an important week. It was really
good for Aquilani and really good for the team. He has shown he has
quality and he will have more confidence and that is good.
'We have seen a lot of players playing well today and that is
good for me because it gives me more (selection) problems.'
Grant refused to lay the blame on goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown,
whose clearance straight to Gerrard set up Torres' first goal.
'Jamie is a good goalkeeper. I will not speak about mistakes
because it is part of the game,' he added.
'We started the game okay, we played how we wanted to play and
then came the first goal and we lost our shape and they scored a
second and third goal in seven minutes and the game was
finished.'
