Stephen Warnock has accused referee Alan Wiley of having 'bottled it' in his failure to send-off Martin Skrtel.
Rovers defender fumes at Wiley's 'bottle' job
Stephen Warnock has accused referee Alan Wiley of having 'bottled it' in his failure to send-off Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel at Anfield on Sunday.
Blackburn's Warnock saw his first return to Merseyside ruined by a 3-1 defeat, but the Rovers defender feels Wiley got it all wrong in letting Skrtel off the hook.
Warnock's ire relates to an incident that occurred at a time when Blackburn were trailing by just a solitary goal; with Skrtel shown a yellow card for dragging back Jason Roberts as the strike honed in on goal.
Of the opinion that Wiley was intimidated by the big-match atmosphere inside Anfield, Warnock has been candid in his appraisal of the official's performance.
Bottled it
"It was definitely a red card - but he's bottled it," he told the
Lancashire Telegraph.
"Obviously, it's at Anfield and it's a big decision and I personally think he's made the wrong decision.
"Jason was through on goal and there was no other defenders around him. I don't see how that was a yellow card.
"It was quite a poor decision - but it's at Anfield and it's a big decision for the referee.
"It's the same at the likes of Old Trafford and places like that.
"It's going to be difficult to get a decision, but I think the referee has got to be big enough to make that decision."
