Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier claims it is the men in black and not Michael Owen’s lamentable form which is ruining the club’s English Premiership challenge.
The Frenchman says he has been appalled by some of the refereeing this season.
”It is not only the referees, but sometimes linesmen’s decisions have been absolutely appalling,” he said. ”We conceded two goals at Bolton, one was offside and their second was handball.
”Then it happened at Chelsea when El-Hadji Diouf was sent off by a mistake from the linesman – it is a good job we achieved the victory we wanted because that red card was rescinded. The level of some of the assistant referees is just not good enough.”
But he was quick to ward off possible charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
”I am not blaming them, it is a difficult job,” he added. ”But when an offside is maybe half a yard and missed you can say, ‘okay, these things happen and we understand’. But when it’s two or three yards, something is wrong somewhere.
”I know what I can do to improve my players, regarding referees; you must ask Keith Hackett at the FA.” – Sapa-AFP