Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez felt Manchester United winger Antonio
Valencia dived to win a penalty in his side's 2-1 defeat at Old
Trafford.
However, the Reds boss did not think Sir Alex Ferguson's
pre-match suggestion that Liverpool benefited from many decisions
other sides did not had a bearing on referee Howard Webb's handling
of the game.
Striker Fernando Torres gave the visitors the ideal start
when he headed in Dirk Kuyt's cross six yards out in the fifth
minute.
However, referee Webb's controversially awarded a penalty
five minutes later when Valencia went down under Javier
Mascherano's challenge despite initial contact being outside the
area.
Wayne Rooney converted the rebound after Jose Reina had
brilliantly saved his spot-kick but it was not until midway through
the second half when Park Ji-sung scored the winner from a diving
header.
In the last minute Torres had a chance to equalise from 10
yards but ballooned his strike into the air and Yossi Benayoun
headed tamely into goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's arms.
"We gave away the penalty too early - but there are doubts
about the penalty," said Benitez.
"When you see the replay it is suspicious how he went to the
ground."
Asked whether he thought Valencia had dived Benitez said:
"From the replay I think so.
"It is not clear but the way he fell down.....is strange.
"It made a big difference. We were playing well and had
confidence and then one situation changed everything."
Benitez was involved with a heated touchline exchange with
Ferguson after Rooney's goal, with his United counterpart
suggesting Mascherano should have been sent off.
However, the Spaniard did not believe Webb had been
influenced by Ferguson's comments prior to the game.
"Some decisions in the past have not been the best for us but
I consider Howard Webb a good referee," he added.
"The referees are professional. We know the influence of Sir
Alex in everything but he is a good referee.
"Jamie Carragher was coming inside so he was in the middle of
the action (and therefore Mascherano should not have been
red-carded)."
Of their touchline exchange Benitez said: "When you have
different opinions you have to express them. He has his own opinion
about everything."
Ferguson's opinion differed from that of Benitez.
"I thought it was a red card," he said.
"There was no way Carragher could get across and stop
Valencia from shooting - he is took quick for Carragher to get
across.
"The law is if you stop someone from having a goalscoring
opportunity it is a red card. Not today.
"The referee was right, he tugged him down. He didn't bring
him down outside the box; he didn't go down until he was inside the
box. The decision was correct."
It was another occasion when Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
failed to perform as, apart from laying on the pass for Kuyt's
cross for the goal, he failed to have a significant influence on
the game.
There have been a number of games this season when the
England international has failed to step up when the side needed
him.
The sight of him being shifted from his central attacking
midfield role to the left and then the right as Ryan Babel and
Benayoun came on did not improve his body language, which has been
poor for some time.
Benitez, however, chose to focus on the positives.
"It was a tight game and we had a good chance with Fernando
or Yossi late on," he added.
"They (United) didn't create too many chances but they were
always dangerous. It was close but the little things make a
difference."
Without being close to their best, United ensured they will
remain top, at least until Wednesday night when Chelsea play
Portsmouth in their match in hand.
And while Rooney is gaining most of the plaudits for his
goalscoring feats - he now has 33 following his 12th-minute
equaliser - and man of the match Darren Fletcher emerged quite some
time ago as an influential figure in the midfield battle, Park is
also emerging as an unlikely hero for United.
The South Korean is ideally suited to Ferguson's preferred
formation, with Rooney as a lone front-man.
And his diving header to cement all three points was
testament to his willingness to run.
"Park is one of those players we can give roles to," said
Ferguson.
"He has such intelligence and discipline. Today we found
another role for him that was slightly different but was really
important for us.
"He is such a brave little lad that his courage got him the
goal."
As Carlo Ancelotti's men still have to come to Old Trafford
at the beginning of next month, Ferguson's side are in charge of
their own destiny.
Now Rio Ferdinand has revealed the full extent of the back
injury that kept him out for three months - and from which he has
now fully recovered - and, for the first time in four meetings with
Liverpool, Nemanja Vidic managed to avoid a red card, Ferguson can
look forward with confidence.
"We have a very experienced back four, a very experienced
goalkeeper and that gives us a real outstanding chance, albeit with
seven difficult matches - but we have all got difficult matches, so
what does it matter?
"No-one is going away. We are all knocking on doors.
"If you look at the run-ins for the teams, it could very well
go to the wire."
