Manchester City manager Joe Royle blasted a "ridiculous" penalty decision as his side crashed out of the FA Cup at Anfield.
Liverpool, with a place in the Worthington Cup final already secured, eased into the quarter-finals with a comfortable 4-2 verdict which included two spot-kicks conceded by City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.
The first of those, controversially won by Vladimir Smicer and converted by Jari Litmanen, came after only seven minutes and Royle was furious with referee Graham Poll's decision.
Royle said: "The last thing you need when you come to a place like this is an early goal against you and I'm sure the penalty wasn't a penalty. It's a ridiculous decision."
The City boss was adamant the award changed the course of the game, even though Emile Heskey doubled the lead six minutes later as Liverpool threatened to run riot.
"If you get to half-time and you've got a clean sheet then you can build on that and they've perhaps got to do a bit more," Royle said on ITV.
"They play on the break anyway, even at home, and they're never more dangerous than when you're round the edge of their box.
"You can't argue with the result - you look at the bench they had today with Fowler, Owen and Barmby on it and that shows the strength of them. But it doesn't help when they are given a two-goal start."
Andrei Kanchelskis reduced the deficit before half-time but there was rarely any evidence City could spring a surprise.
Smicer converted the second, more blatant, penalty - which he again won - and Markus Babbel headed the fourth goal before Shaun Goater claimed a late reply for City.