Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has sought to clarify his comments about referee Lee Mason in the wake of his team's 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.
The Northern Irishman was left angered by decisions that went against the Reds, such as Raheem Sterling being wrongly ruled offside when clean through on goal and Luis Suarez seeing a late penalty appeal turned down.
The Football Association have stated that they are looking into Rodgers's post-match remarks, in which he hinted that Mason, from Bolton in Greater Manchester, may have been guilty of local bias.
"I was speaking openly and honestly after the game," the Daily Mail quotes the 40-year-old as saying. "I think the FA and the Referees' Association know that I'm someone who engages in supporting referees. I'm not one who berates referees after games.
"I am always respectful and I ask my staff to be respectful on the pitch. We never chase fourth officials down the line on a match day. I've had a number of them in here [at Melwood] so I help and support what they do.
"In terms of geography, I certainly wasn't questioning integrity. It was more the logic of having a referee from that part of the world refereeing a game in Manchester. I wouldn't suspect Mike Dean from the Wirral has refereed many games for Liverpool over the years. It was just something I felt after the game because games are decided on fine details."
The Merseyside club travel to Chelsea on Sunday.
Michael Penkman
