MARK LAWRENSON: I’m amazed Benitez is defending stupidity

Mar 25 2008 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

SUNDAY’S sending-off could set a benchmark that will be good for the game in the long-term. If Javier Mascherano has to be the fall guy that enables that to happen then so be it. Tough luck.

But something needs to be done to stop all this business of getting in referees’ faces and showing absolutely no respect for authority. Fans have had a belly-full of it.

Okay, so Ashley Cole should have been the one to have an example made of him last week when Mike Riley failed to red-card him for his dissent.

But after Sunday, we can all see that officials aren’t going to stand for any more of that and the game will be all the better for it.

Yet Mascherano still fully deserved his dismissal for the sheer stupidity of his actions – and it amazes me how Rafael Benitez can defend them.

On the monitors we have in our radio commentary position we could see Mascherano, even after he had his first yellow card, mouthing off at Steve Bennett after every decision. You could see what was coming.

What’s even more baffling is the fact that the incident he got sent-off for came from a Liverpool free-kick. It wasn’t like it was a dodgy penalty at the Stretford End or something that gave Ronaldo a free shot at goal. It was no big deal.

And then just as Torres is being booked for dissent, Mascherano decides to run over and add his opinion. How could he have thought that Bennett would let it go after he’d already booked his team-mate seconds earlier? What did he expect?

You could see Gerrard and Alonso trying to grab him to stop him protesting because they knew he was on his way if he continued harassing the ref.

If they could get their heads round what was going on, why couldn’t Mascherano? And why couldn’t his manager?

Benitez should be coming out after that game and slapping a fine of two weeks’ wages on the player and making him apologise to his team-mates and fans.

As good a player a Mascherano is, you can’t afford to lose the plot in a game of that importance – it just lets everyone down.

Including Benitez. Which is why I was surprised he came out and defended the player because surely he would have been more frustrated with him than anyone?

A few more looks at it, coupled with some time to think, might make Rafa realise how foolish his midfielder was, especially as he was treading such a thin line after his initial booking.

After all, when you’re 1-0 down at Old Trafford it’s difficult enough to get back into the game but down to 10? No chance.

Sadly, Liverpool were already looking well on their way to defeat to United before the sending-off.

They were cut open down the middle four or five times and Skrtel and Carragher had a poor day positionally.

It was already looking so ominous even before Mascherano put the result well beyond doubt.

Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH