Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Martin Atkinson made a mistake when he disallowed Jordan Henderson’s goal during their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal last night.
Goals from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey extended The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, but Rodgers feels Liverpool’s equaliser should have stood.
Atkinson gave a free-kick to Liverpool after Bacary Sagna brought down Luis Suarez and after the striker got up quickly to put through his team-mate, the ball eventually found its way to Henderson who tapped home into an empty net.
However, Atkinson brought the play back so that the free-kick could be re-taken, a decision that Rodgers didn’t agree with.
Rodgers said: “That was a poor decision. I think you’ve got to let the game flow. If that’s the ruling, then it’s not a ruling that is very good.
“We’re always asking players to be honest and get up and play, not roll about on the floor, and if they are going to be discouraged from doing that then they might stay and roll about, try to get someone a yellow card.
“I got an explanation from the fourth official on it, and it is disappointing, to be honest.
“He said it was the next phase of the game, so he was given a yellow card, and it could only have been given at that point.
“I thought it was a poor decision because you have to let the game flow, but that was the reason he gave it. It was clever play (from us), and we got a goal from it.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
