Telling Lies

The papers are still going on about Benitez's outburst today, I like this from The Times, suggesting that the speaker, more than the words, makes a difference:

Some of his speech about “Fer-goo-son!” was humorously acerbic ... and had it been given by Jose Mourinho, in his sarcastic, smarty-pants way, it might have hit the mark.

Perhaps surprisingly it is The Telegraph that has the best article on it, actually looking into the truth of Benitez's "facts", rather than blithely going along with them, I particularly like this one:

Charge 1 "We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off."

There has only been one player sent off at Old Trafford this season. In September, Middlesbrough's Emanuel Pogatetz was shown the red card after he went in two-footed on Rodrigo Possebon. The young Brazilian midfielder was lucky to avoid serious injury and both the Boro manager Gareth Southgate and Pogatetz apologised. There can be absolutely no dispute.

Two players have been sent off for the opposition at Anfield this season. Wigan's Luis Antonio Valencia was sent off for two bookings in October in a game that Liverpool won 3-2. His first caution was for encroaching on a free-kick. Here's what Steve Bruce said about it: "I just thought all the little decisions in the second half went Liverpool's way. It's difficult enough coming to Anfield, but you need some fairness and strength. Two minutes after Valencia was dismissed, [Nabil] El Zhar tackled Mario Melchiot in the same way and... nothing. That's what annoys us to."

The other player to be sent off at Anfield? Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United.

Hardly fits Benitez's conspiracy, does it?

Read the whole thing, it is well worth it.