Dissent is a punishable offence, playing in a 'big game' and earning ten's of thousands per week does not make you exempt from the law or beyond reproach. Steve Bennett should be applauded for showing the right example to junior footballers and Rafa should be ashamed that he has tried to defend the actions of his player.
It's time premier league footballers realised that's all they are; footballers! It's just a game and you're only sportsmen, get over yourselves!

Dan, Shrewsbury,

Action and reaction. Torres was booked for asking the referee why he was allowing the Man Utd defenders to keep battering him (he's now having a scan for possible fractured ribs) and Mascherano was booked for asking why he had booked Torres. No intimadation, no screaming or ranting until after being seing sent off by which point he was justifiably seething. Contrast how Mike Riley handled the Ashley Cole incident in a game that ended 4 - 4 with how Steve Bennett ruined one of the biggest games of the season with his childish arrogance. Respect goes both ways and Steve Bennett doesn't show the players or supporters any respect at all. He's a terrible referee who wants to be seen and affect the course of the game. The best referees go unnoticed! It is Steve Bennett who should be looking at a permanent ban.

Bernice, Chester, England

He was badgering the ref for the whole first half,everytime he blew the whistle.I think it was accumulative rather than just the final incident. Also he ran a good 20 -30 yds to confront the ref WHY???? A good point brought up about the incident with Middlesborough where he definately needed a red card.

Rod, Toronto, Canada

Liverpool's behaviour yesterday was beyond petulant. Aside from Mascherano's meltdown, we had Benitez gesturing wildly to the Utd fans that the ref had ruined his team's hopes of winning the match. And then Reina's gestures to the linesman after another clangor from himself for the second goal. Liverpool were poor before Mascherano's sending off and could've been 2 or 3 goals down at that stage.

Claire, Dublin,

Firstly, let me say as a Liverpool fan I was saddened by yesterdays events. Mascherano had no right to get involved, but lets be honest, why was Torres booked, having been fouled once then winning the ball back and being fouled again. Is he not entitled to ask the ref for the protection that Fergie has been harping about all week? Seemingly not. Also why did Aurelio, who was behind the ref not stop Mascherano as he walked towards him? Why did Alonso make only only a half hearted attempt to stop him confronting Bennett. Where was Gerrard the captain at the time? All relevent questions I suggest. However what is more relevent is the role of the ref. Booking Torres was the catalyst for the whole episide, and if a fouled player can't ask for protection then the game is in dire straits. Would Ronaldo have been booked for asking the same thing - I guess not.

Seamus, Belfast, N. Ireland

Mascherano deserved everything he got.

Refereeing is in crisis and incidents such as these do not help. It is time that referees were supported instead of being castigated by players and managers. Who wants to be a referee? The answer is not many. Our local leagues are struggling more than ever to recruit referees. When respect for their authority is being questioned to unprecedented levels by players at the top level then recruitment of referees will become harder and harder. Low numbers at the bottom levels will lead to a decline in calibre rising to the top.

So come on everyone, let's praise Steve Bennett for making the right decisions. He handled a difficult game well. It was Mascherano's mistake, not Bennett's, that got him sent off. And let's see the FA, the Premier League and the clubs doing something to restore respect for referees. Wouldn't it be good to see some ex pro footballers coming into refereeing? They then might appreciate how hard it is.

Roger Partridge, King's Lynn, Norfolk

Referees will never have respect whilst they work in the manner that they do, relying on one to referee and two persons to be linesmen with a fourth official controlling players. Given Football players train for endless hours only for these referees to make decisions that can win or loose them the match or even get them relegated at worst. My opinion if referees want respect they need to reply on the big screen through the fourth official then players don’t have an excuse not to show respect and referees through the fourth official have to make the right decisions, such as during the Manchester V Liverpool game given the sending of Mascherano could topple Liverpool out of the Champions League spot then again the referees decisions tend to go against Everton as I have noticed this season. As for was it right or wrong to send Mascherano of I don’t care I didn’t watch the game even though I support Liverpool FC given the referees over the last few years have driven out the pleasure from watching football through the television, as for watching football live at Anfield nigh impossible these days, still roll on the new stadium and hopefully a better style of football refereeing

peter, wigan, england

The broader issue is that the game is going down the toilet because tackles that might once have earned a free kick are routinely seen as yellow card offences. Potentially excellent games are then reduced to formalities as one side has to battle on, under resourced. As for the 'chat', players ought to know better, particularly with the one or two referees who seem to have self-esteem issues and will always card you for an open mouth. No sympathy, Mr Mascherano.

Andrew Metcalfe, New York, United States

Masherano behaved out of character yesterday. Sadly Steve Bennett was his usual self.

The mind-games Fergie played during the week, coupled with festering, widespread resentment over Ashley Coles' ridiculous behaviour (and the leniency shown him) were bound to result in a victim.

Mascherano was it.

The yellow shown to Torres was the catalyst - a crass, cowardly decision by the worst ref in the professional game (he should have booked Ferdinand, who took it in turns with Vidic to kick Torres throughout the game - particularly close to the half-way line).

Utd. thoroughly deserved their victory. But Bennett's performance should be censured (not that it will).

Julian Glantz, Cadiz, Spain

Just shows getting 30-40 grand a week doesn,t make you intelligent

Richard Dow, Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire

So, Mascherano "made a mistake", but this being a "big Game", he should not be cautioned with another yellow card? What a load of balloney, Rafa!!! What crap. Remember Mascherano raised his hand on an opponent's face two or three matches ago, and the opponent retaliated and was sent off? And the provocative Mascherano got away scot-free? His raising of his hand was not a loving caress... and such a provocation deserves a sending off then!!. His red card now is 3 matches too late, but justice is being dealt now. So stop whingeing like some Alsacian french man in North London!!!

Steven TAN, Singapore, Singapore