Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew questions decision to let Andre Marriner referee Liverpool clash

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Sam Long29 October 2016

Alan Pardew believes Andre Marriner should not have been given the responsibility of refereeing Crystal Palace's clash with Liverpool tonight.

Marriner took charge of last season's corresponding fixture between the two sides, which ended in controversy when Christian Benteke won - and scored - a late penalty to give Liverpool victory.

The decision left a bitter taste in the mouth of Palace's supporters, who jeered Marriner throughout this evening's 4-2 defeat to Jurgen Klopp's side.

The German manager believes his side "deserved" their victory thanks to goals from Emre Can, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino but Pardew was aggrieved by a number of penalty appeals that were waved away by the officials.

"It was too open for us. We gifted them possession a little bit too much," he told BT Sport.

"There were still some decisions that went against us.

"I don't think Andre Marriner should have reffed today.

"He gave the penalty last year and I don't know why Mike Riley gave the game to him again. It is a bit frustrating.

"Why create pressure on him and us because of last year's decision? Our fans were giving him stick from the start."

The decisions in question involved Benteke and Wilfried Zaha, both of whom were convinced they should have been awarded spot kicks.

With the score 3-2 at the time of the two incidents a penalty would have given Palace a route back into the game but they have now slipped to 12th place in the table and are without a win in four games.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are level on points with Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table, having extended their unbeaten record to eight top-flight games.

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