Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been charged with improper conduct following comments made after their opening-weekend defeat to Tottenham, the Football Association have confirmed.

Benitez was furious at Phil Dowd's refusal to award a late penalty for what he perceived to be a foul on Andriy Voronin by Benoit Assou-Ekotto in a game the Merseysiders lost 2-1.

Liverpool had another penalty shout turned down shortly after when Fernando Torres cannoned a shot against Assou-Ekotto's hand.

After the game Benitez said: "I think everyone could see there was a penalty, especially to Voronin, it was so clear.

"The third one, you could excuse. You can say that the hand was to the ball or the ball was to the hand, it could be, but the other one was so clear, it was unbelievable.

"Can you get two penalties at an away ground? No. With this referee, I knew that this was impossible."

Liverpool had earlier been awarded a spot-kick when Glen Johnson went down under a challenge from Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

Benitez has until September 15 to respond to the charge.