Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was a frustrated man after his side had suffered a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool following a refereeing mix-up over the red card for defender Stephen Ward.
West Midlands official Andre Marriner initially booked the wrong player, Christophe Berra. But he finally realised it was Ward who should have received a second yellow card, and then a red, for a foul on Lucas Leiva just minutes after he had been cautioned for pulling Yossi Benayoun's shirt.
"It was very frustrating, disappointing. We had played well for an hour and looked comfortable enough," said McCarthy. "I was not convinced by the sending off and how much contact there was with Stephen Ward and Lucas. I cannot see it."
The incident sparked an exchange on the touchline between McCarthy and Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.
McCarthy sarcastically applauded his opposite number as the officials finally arrived at the right decision to dismiss Ward.
That gave Liverpool the break they needed for Steven Gerrard and Benayoun to grab the goals to secure a vital win for the nervy Reds, but afterwards McCarthy questioned the role of fourth official Phil Dowd in the rumpus and suggested he had told Marriner about his error.
McCarthy added: "The referee did get the right player, but he had some flipping help, didn't he?
"I just wonder if he had any assistance. I did not think that Phil Dowd (the fourth official) knew who it was either, but people were in his ear about it.
"I don't know if Phil Dowd told the referee who it was. I wonder that if you can get assistance from the fourth official, maybe Ireland would still be in the World Cup.
"Without that (decision), we would have got something from the game. We had enough chances. But we gave a good account of ourselves and they needed a break. And they got it and took advantage of it."
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Peter, Tommy Smith , Graham Souness , Steve Macmahan , Julian Dicks , Neil Ruddock ?
Two fouls on Torres in the first min.both yellow card offences no action taken by ref.No comment from McCarthy on them.We pay a lot of money to watch two of FIFAs world team players.Not to watch a gang of graduates from the Vinney Jones..Dennis Wise school of ale house cloggers trying to cripple them on the instructions of McCarthy another graduate, along with Allardyce from the same school of no marks.The sooner these two, along with their teams are back where they belong the better. I hope Newcastle and West Brom come up because they play football
Liverpool haters... what if it had been the other way? im pretty sure the wolves players would have wanted a Liverpool player sent off.
resting players against City when our following match is vs Tranmere? Unlikely. That sending off was a fudge. Benitez is lucky he still got a job.
JUMP AROUND, JUMP AROUND
JUMP UP ,JUMP UP AND GET DOWN.
you lot one with bribes his first offence was deserved but second was a no mark like you scouse losers top 4 dont think so hope villa beat you will you try n get 1 them sent off the wolves
Aaron B, comment 1, you did not understand what McCarthy was saying. His meanings are that since ref mistakes are part of the game why do they sometimes check with the 4th referee and most often don't. McCarthy thought he was lucky this time around that the ref got it wrong but the ref decided to use the 4rth referee which is not in the books. Now think about it. What happens if the next time McCarthy's team get the same fate as Liverpool but the referee refuses to use the 4rth referee? That is why we MUST stick by the rules ALWAYS. That is what his frustration is about.
"McCarthy added: "The referee did get the right player, but he had some flipping help, didn't he?"
What? So McCarthy would have been ok if the wrong player was booked and his team got some sort of result? He is quite happy to get any result, even one based on a lie? I could understand his decision with regard to team selection for the game against Utd but this latest rant doesn't do much for his character, does it? Win at all/any cost? Perhaps you are really a closet Aus, Mick? With an attitude like that they would lap you up over there!
Wolves has been bribe by United. Others team they field full strength. Against United they field reserves.
Liverpool deserved the 3 points !! Admit it McCarthy. Maybe you should have rested your 10 players for the next game ??
McCarthy may consider resting all their 10 1st team players for the next game against Man City.......
STRANGE:
Gerrard lunged in 3 times, each foul a bookable offence, but nothing, Ward tugged a players shirt twice, 2 bookings and a red, strange decsions.
The BIGGEST issue I have is the fact that NINE LIVERPOOL PLAYERS, INCLUDING THE GOALKEEPER (who ran 80 yards), plus RAFFA, PLUS a SUBSTITUE pleaded with the linesman and fourth official to send ward off, found that very disappointing that pros made sure a fellow pro was sent off, BAD TASTE, POOR STUFF. Cant imagine Daglish, Hansen, Clemence etc every dragging themselves to that level, there again they were class acts, this lot, not in the same league.
So did McCarthy want the wrong call to be made? I'm sure he obviously would rather have all 11 on the pitch instead of 10 but should Liverpool not want the correct person to earn the card? Also, I find it interesting that Wolves whine and complain about Liverpool players going up to the referee, but the Wolves players were the first group that ran up to the referee in the first place to try and trick him. Nice try, Mick. How about telling Ward to stop grabbing players by the shirt who get past him with ease.
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