Sunderland boss Steve Bruce described his touchline clash with Rafael Benitez as "handbags" after Darren Bent's controversial goal delivered a fresh blow to Liverpool's title hopes.
Bruce, who saw Kenwyne Jones and Lee Cattermole both carried off injured, became embroiled in a furious touchline debate with Benitez when the Spaniard apparently complained about the length of time for which Jones was treated on the pitch.
"It was handbags. It's all over, it's done. You do things in the heat of the moment which, when you look back at it, you think, `Maybe I shouldn't have done that', but there you go," said Bruce.
The Black Cats won courtesy of Bent's eighth goal of the season, which flew past Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina after hitting a beach ball which had been thrown on to the pitch from the Liverpool fans.
Bruce later revealed he had been told the goal should have been disallowed and a drop ball awarded, but he was not allowing that to spoil his night.
He said: "Listen, I thought it was a deflection off a player. I have to say when I have just seen it there, if anybody knew that rule - that it is supposed to be a drop ball - then you are a saddo.
"They have got it on telly with the guy who threw it on and it's got Liverpool crests all over it. What a shame."
Opposite number Rafael Benitez was philosophical when asked about the incident.
"It's a very technical question. It could be a goal, it's difficult to say. In this case, it has to be a goal," said Benitez.
"These things can happen in a lot of games. It was a bad situation for us - it was in the middle [of the goal] and it was very influential. But we didn't play well, that is the main thing for me."
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Whats the betting everytime the Mancs get anywhere near the Liverpool goal the kop will be throwing everything they have on the pitch probably a load of @#$% ends and dole cards knowing L'pool. It is about time you all grew up and realised that the days of clubs spending money they have not got is over so Liverpool (270 Million in debt) and Man Ure (750 million in debt) are in trouble and oh what about the new Foreign player rule. It is about time that you realise and admit the Cats are playing well and instead of finding excuses for your @#$% teams just remember we have more money and bigger crowds than Liverpool oh and a very nice stadium.
Torquedeli, you must come very cheap on the menu. A true Liverpool fan has more fibre than you show. We have HAD a poor run. FACT. All GREAT teams sometimes do. It doesn't get any worse than with the BLATANT bad luck @ Sunderland. Sometimes things have to get to their rock bottom worst before they take a TURN for good. FACT. True Liverpool supporters have BELIEF. Something tells me this season will have a HAPPY ending, possibly the VERY BEST since 2005. I have been a Rafa critic, but for crying out LOUD give the man a break. And for reacting to all the drama with DIGNITY I can only pray and hope for GOOD FORTUNE for Benitez and Liverpool starting Tuesday night.
Not too worried about the manner in which the goal was scored, but to label anyone who knew the rule as a "saddo" as Bruce did is disrespectful. The multi ball system in use now adays has shown the fans that the game stops everytime two balls are on the park at the same time. This extends to fans invading, and objects being thrown onto, the park , so any sensible fan would have worked out that the game should have stopped. ROBERT A the answer to your question is simple, an idiot fan threw it onto the park. Reina threw it into the goal during the build up of a Sunderland attack immediately prior to the attack that resulted in the goal. As to a steward collecting at an appropriate time, there is no such appropriate time as the stewards are not allowed on the park while the game is in play.
SPREAD THE WORD... RAFA BENITEZ IS OFFICIALLY THE MESSIAH...
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST... DON'T YOU SEE THE:
F iorentina
A ston Villa
C helsea
T ottenham
S underland
IT'S SIMPLE.. GENIUS ONE MIGHT SAY!
NEWS brucie offer no hardship bout the handbag fight he offers his deckchair instead as all seats in visiting dug out are deckchairs now complete with crying towels
wonder if brucie is going to sit on a deck chair when he plays liverpool again ?
do not blame the beach ball!!!! i am a liverpool supporter and as i would like to think liverpol are one of the best teams in europe. we should have equalised and went on to win the game. rafa is running out of ideas and i blame some of the liverpool supporters who are always supporting the manager. the man is confused. we cant keep on relying on steve G and el nino and most of the players at liverpool are not playing their natural game. too many instructions from the manager on the touch line during games confuse players. its high time for Rafa to go and give the job to someone who is not ignorant, arrogant and rude.
I have to agree with torquaydeli, rafa has to go. Three of our best players missing & the team has no shape ,vision or understanding of the basics of the game. 3 at the back, ????????
my considered opinion is : hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahaha (breath) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha (wheeze)hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahaha (i've just wet myself ) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha (I'm dying) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha
You have to ask yourself why this ball was in the position it was in in the first place. If you watch the game you will notice that for a few minutes before the goal the "beach ball" was sitting in the back of the liverpool goal and should never have been allowed back on to the pitch. Reina should have passed it back to a sterward or a steward should have collected it at the appropriate time.
I have been a liverpool supporter all my life and I think its time for Benitez to go and the sooner the better,hes had long enough to prove himself and has failed to do so in the league.
As for the goal the ref says it is so it is and the result is we lost our 4th game of the season.
Best start worrying about the drop not thinking we have any chance of winning the league now or in the foreseeable future.
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