Liverpool striker Peter Crouch accepts he deserved to be sent off against Chelsea - but has hit out at the role of Mikel John Obi in his dismissal.

Crouch was shown the red card for jumping with both feet at Mikel during the second half of the Reds' 2-0 Carling Cup quarter-final defeat at Stamford Bridge.

The England striker verbally told the Liverpool Echo: "Mikel came in with his studs up and that was in the back of my mind. Then I thought there was another foul in there and obviously I've lost my head.

"There are no excuses for the tackle I made but if the referee had pulled the foul up when he should have done it wouldn't have happened.

"A lot was going their way and I think frustration got the better of me."

Crouch admits his challenge looked dangerous but he made only minimal contact with Mikel and he was unimpressed with the Nigerian's reaction.

Crouch added: "What I'm thinking is if you go in on Frank Lampard or John Terry would they roll around like Obi Mikel did? I don't think they would have done.

"Would someone like Carra [Jamie Carragher] have gone down like that? I think it's safe to say that he wouldn't.

"Foreign players have brought a lot to our game but that's something you don't want to see. I didn't catch him but he's gone down like he's been shot."