Mansfield Town 1 Liverpool 2: match report

Luis Suárez was taunted with chants of ‘cheat’ by incensed Mansfield supporters after the Liverpool forward secured his team’s place in the FA Cup fourth round by scoring with his arm to ensure victory at Field Mill. Suárez, a 54th minute replacement for £12-million debutant Daniel Sturridge, put the game beyond Liverpool’s non-league opponents when he palmed the ball into the net on 58 minutes after an initial shot had been cleared by goalkeeper Alan Marriott. Referee Andre Marriner, having looked across at his linesman Mike Mullarkey, awarded the goal, despite the appeals of the Mansfield players. As Suárez celebrated his goal, the home crowd rang out to chants of ‘cheat, cheat, cheat’ in the direction of the controversial Uruguayan. Mansfield’s anger was fuelled by their team having a strong penalty claim turned down moments earlier when Matt Green’s back-heel was blocked by a stray Liverpool arm on the goal line.