Reds boss Benitez slams Chelsea's Mikel for provoking Crouch's red-mist moment

Liverpool striker Crouch was guilty of a two-footed lunge from behind on John Mikel Obi moments after a deflected Frank Lampard effort had given Chelsea a 59th-minute lead.

Referee Martin Atkinson had no hesitation in producing a straight red, the fourth dismissal of Crouch's career, as players from both sides became involved in bout of pushing that threatened to boil over.

TV pictures clearly showed Crouch mouthing an obscenity to a fan who had given him a two-fingered salute. Rafa Benitez insisted afterwards that referee Atkinson's failure to spot two earlier fouls by Obi on Crouch was responsible for his striker's red mist.

He said: 'Obi had kicked him twice which is why Crouch lost his head. I've watched more dangerous tackles in the last month.

'Sometimes it's yellow cards, sometimes it's nothing. The challenge itself could be a red card, but the timing is the key for me. It finished the game. 'I'm disappointed because we lost. I think we created chances and they have a very good keeper.

'I'm really pleased with the performance of the team. When we had 11, we passed the ball well and defended well.'

Benitez's argument that Crouch was provoked cut little ice with his opposite number Avram Grant, who questioned the striker's motives. 'It was on the line in the middle of the pitch. He didn't need to do it.' said Grant.

'I don't think that Rafa was angry about the red card. Maybe he was angry at the other tackles.

'But the number of fouls Liverpool made on John Obi Mikel today, I think there were seven or eight in the first half.

'I've said it before and I'll say it again, the priority of the referee should be to protect the game.

'You see what can happen to players. John Terry is out for six weeks. That is my priority.'

The Carling Cup may not be Chelsea's priority, but the chance to win his first trophy in a Wembley final meeting against either Arsenal or Tottenham remains a mouth-watering prospect for the coach.

Revealing his pleasure at Michael Ballack's return to action and the prospect of retaining the Carling Cup, Grant added: 'I'm pleased that Ballack got back into the game after a long time. 'He's a good player, an intelligent player and important for us. Shevchenko knows how to score goals.

'We wanted to be in the semi-finals. I think it was a good game for the supporters, and I liked what I saw.

'Any team now is not easy. Everton drew against us, the only team for a while. 'I'm optimistic. I feel we can win any competition. You need to believe as a coach.

'I cannot lie and tell you this is our first priority. But, if we're in this competition, we want to win it.'