‘Fabregas should have seen red’

– Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers complained that opposition midfielder Cesc Fabregas “should have been sent off ” for an ugly challenge on Raheem Sterling during his side’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

There was less than a minute on the clock at Stamford Bridge on Sunday when Fabregas caught Sterling on the ankle with a high, sliding challenge, for which he was booked.

The final score all but extinguished Liverpool’s Champions League hopes.

But Rodgers felt the game might have panned out differently had Fabregas – who set up Terry’s opener – been sent off.

“Fabregas should have been sent off – out of control, diving, stretching,” said the Northern Irishman, whose side trail fourthplaced Manchester United by six points with two games to play.

“It was early in the game, but it doesn’t matter. It was a bad challenge and he deserved a red card.”

Liverpool’s thoughts will now turn to Saturday’s home game with Crystal Palace, when Gerrard will play at Anfield for the final time.

Asked if finishing outside the Champions League places would make it harder for Liverpool to attract new players to the club, he replied: “It would have been whether we were in it or not.”

Chelsea had already secured the title by beating Palace the previous weekend and manager Jose Mourinho looked to the future against Liverpool by awarding a full debut to 19-year-old midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Mourinho pledged to blood more young players at West Bromwich Albion this weekend, but said he would select a strong team for the final game of the season at home to Sunderland.–

London