Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard refused to condemn ref Phil Dowd for not sending off Kevin Mirallas during Saturday's 3-3 draw.
Mirallas escaped a red card for his X-rated challenge on Liverpool ace Luis Suarez.
"To be fair to the referee when I initially saw the incident I was thinking yellow card. I was probably the same distance away from it as the referee so you have to give him the benefit of the doubt," Gerrard explained.
"Now I have seen it again though it's a red card, everyone knows that, but it's very difficult to say that in a split-second and at that distance. I'd rather back the referee than have a go at him."
