Rafa rues postponement
19 Dec 2006 - 21:23:30
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez felt referee Martin Atkinson was wrong to postpone the Reds' Carling Cup quarter-final tie with Arsenal at Anfield.
Atkinson called off the match after fog descended on Merseyside on Tuesday evening, but the postponement has left both Liverpool and Arsenal with potential fixture headaches in the coming weeks.
The two sides are also set to meet in the third round of the FA Cup on January 6 in what looks like being an extremely busy beginning to the new year.
"I think we could play," claimed Benitez. "I was surprised because this morning we were training in worse conditions.
"You cannot change the decision. You must respect it but we don't agree.
"Myself and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal manager) tried to convince the referee that we could play, but it was impossible.
"The referee said that he could not see the different colours and that it would be difficult for the linesmen.
"But you could see both goals clearly from the centre-circle and the referee said no. I'm surprised because we felt we could play in those circumstances.
"The question now is that, if we draw against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round, when can we play the game? Maybe we need to play both cup ties in the same game?"