Rafael Benitez defends Steven Gerrard over two-fingered gesture
Rafael Benitez has leapt to the defence of Steven Gerrard after the Liverpool captain appeared to make a two-fingered gesture to referee Andre Marriner during the 1-0 defeat by Wigan Athletic on Monday night.
The FA have confirmed that Gerrard will not face disciplinary action for the gesture, which came after he was booked for a foul. The incident was caught on camera, but the referee deemed it unworthy of further punishment.
Benitez, speaking in the build up to tomorrows Europa League match against Lille, maintained that Gerrards gesture was neither offensive nor aimed at the referee.
Sometimes you move your fingers, it was nothing, Benitez said. We are not considering it. All the players know they have to behave on the pitch. I was more worried about the silly fouls we were giving to Wigan.
The inquest into Liverpools defeat at the DW Stadium continues, with Dave Whelan, the Wigan owner, pinning the blame for their opponents stuttering form at the door of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the Liverpool co-owners. However, Whelans comments have drawn an angry response from Benitez. I do not talk about Wigan, he said. I prefer to concentrate on my team. He Whelan should talk about his own club.
Liverpool will fly to France this evening and Benitez hopes his side will prove that Mondays defeat was nothing more than a blip.
We had been working well in the last ten games, more or less, Benitez said. Sometimes these things happen. Now we have to move forward. Hopefully there will be a reaction in Lille. This is an opportunity to put things right and try to get a good result.
In football you sometimes prefer to rest but at this time it is good to have a match quickly after what happened at Wigan.
