Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has accused Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia of diving to earn the penalty that canceled out an early Fernando Torres strike in United’s 2-1 victory on Sunday to vault them to the top of the Premier League.
Valencia fell awkwardly under a Javier Mascherano challenge to earn the penalty after 12 minutes. Wayne Rooney’s shot was saved but he was able to net the rebound to tie the game at one.
Benitez was clear when asked if the Ecuadorian international dove for United’s penalty.
"Yes I think so, Benitez told The Sun.
“There is maybe a contact but the way he fell down was strange.
"I've seen three replays and the last one was very suspicious.
"See the replay and how he fell to the ground.
"The penalty made a big, big difference. One situation changed everything."
The decision to award United with the spot-kick led to an argument between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson, who thought that Mascherano should have been given a red card for being the last man on path to a scoring chance.
"I thought for the penalty kick it was a red card,” Ferguson said.
"There was no way Carragher could have got across to stop Valencia from shooting, absolutely no way. He's too quick for Carragher to get across.
"It was a penalty but you have seen it time and time again - the law of the game is that if you stop a player from a goalscoring opportunity, it's a red card. But not today it wasn't.”
The loss leaves Liverpool in sixth place, four points adrift of Tottenham for the last Champions League spot, and two points behind Manchester City, who also have two games in hand on the Reds, for fifth.
Valencia fell awkwardly under a Javier Mascherano challenge to earn the penalty after 12 minutes. Wayne Rooney’s shot was saved but he was able to net the rebound to tie the game at one.
Benitez was clear when asked if the Ecuadorian international dove for United’s penalty.
"Yes I think so, Benitez told The Sun.
“There is maybe a contact but the way he fell down was strange.
"I've seen three replays and the last one was very suspicious.
"See the replay and how he fell to the ground.
"The penalty made a big, big difference. One situation changed everything."
The decision to award United with the spot-kick led to an argument between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson, who thought that Mascherano should have been given a red card for being the last man on path to a scoring chance.
"I thought for the penalty kick it was a red card,” Ferguson said.
"There was no way Carragher could have got across to stop Valencia from shooting, absolutely no way. He's too quick for Carragher to get across.
"It was a penalty but you have seen it time and time again - the law of the game is that if you stop a player from a goalscoring opportunity, it's a red card. But not today it wasn't.”
The loss leaves Liverpool in sixth place, four points adrift of Tottenham for the last Champions League spot, and two points behind Manchester City, who also have two games in hand on the Reds, for fifth.
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