Coppell angry after Anfield loss
Reading boss Steve Coppell was left fuming after his side’s narrow 2-1 defeat at Anfield.
He was upset with Fernando Torres’ winner, annoyed with the refusal by referee Andre Marriner to award a late penalty when the ball struck Steven Gerrard on the arm in the box, and far from happy with his own player Shane Long, who hurled his shirt to the ground after being substituted.
Reading were ahead early on through Czech Republic midfielder Marek Matejovsky, but an equaliser from Javier Mascherano, and a free header for Torres in the second half secured a 2-1 win.
Coppell hardly knew where to start.
He said: “I am very disappointed with the free header for Torres, if you allow him to do that six yards out, he will score. We just stood and watched.
“As for what we felt was a strong shout for a penalty late on, the ball hit Gerrard on the arm and it was bound for the net.
“Having seen a penalty given earlier in the week for Aston Villa (when Middlesbrough’s Luke Young was harshly penalised for a similar act) this one was stitched on.
“The ball was heading for the goal from (Dave) Kitson and it hit Gerrard on the arms!”
Coppell was unhappy with Long’s antics, saying: “I have told him I never want to see something like that again, and I won’t. I will deal with it my way, I won’t be telling anyone.
“He was annoyed with the officials, just frustrated. He was playing against a centre-half who was six inches taller and every time they came together, it was a free-kick for Liverpool.
“I understand his frustration, and that is how he expressed it. But it was not the right thing to do.”
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was also disappointed with the performance of referee Marriner.
He said: “Reading were upset with the official and so were we. Maybe that says something.
“We had a player, (Alvaro) Arbeloa, who took an elbow in the face and had his eye cut. It was close to the line, and the fourth official. Everybody could see it, but not the referee.
“As for their penalty claim, Steven Gerrard has told me the ball hit him with his arm against his chest, it was not stuck out to deflect the ball.
“I always prefer not to comment on referees, but both sides were clearly disappointed with him.”
On Mascherano’s first goal for the club, he said: “We have been encouraging him to shoot more, and he has started doing that.
“And of course I was pleased with Fernando again. He did not have much space, but scored another crucial goal.”
