Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was left to ponder why the Premier League appointed Lee Mason for the Boxing Day clash with Manchester City.
The Reds boss felt aggrieved after his side lost 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium as Raheem Sterling was wrongly flagged for offside when one on one with Joe Hart prior to Philippe Coutinho's opener for the visitors.
Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo gave City the lead prior to the half-time break which preceded two penalty calls when Luis Suarez was fouled by Joleon Lescott in the area during the second half.
Rodgers was questioning the decision to appoint Mason for a Liverpool-Manchester game when the match official hails from Bolton in Greater Manchester.
"Where do you want me to start?," said Rodgers when quizzed on the incidents.
"I thought we never got any decision. The linesman on the offside one - he wasn't even on the same cut of grass.
"If you're working at this level you have to get it right. It's not even a difficult one.
"It is a perfectly-timed run and he is given offside when he is through one on one on goal. These are big moments in big games.
"There is another incident when Luis doesn't get a free-kick when Joleon Lescott went right through him.
"It is arguable it is a penalty at the end. Luis Suarez can't jump because he is tugging at his shirt.
"I thought it was throughout the evening. Hopefully we don't have another Greater Manchester referee again on a Liverpool-Manchester game."
