Rodgers rips ref after Liverpool loss

• Guardian, Thursday, December 26, 2013 7:05 PM

Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers will likely face English FA sanctions for a scathing attack on the officials after Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City. Rodgers claimed major decisions went against his team, including Raheem Sterling's disallowed goal after he was wrongly ruled offside. Rodgers said that referee Lee Mason, from Bolton, lives too near City to be appointed to the game.

"I was surprised to see that the referee came from Greater Manchester," Rodgers said. "If it was City vs. Liverpool at Anfield I don't think we would get a referee from the Wirral. ... It was a horrendous performance from all the officials. Nothing went our way at all."

It was a close contest that could have gone either way, though City had the standout performer in Alvaro Negredo, who scored the gamewinner, and did a much better job of shackling Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling in the second half.

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