Gerrard: Escapes FA wrath
The Football Association has confirmed that Steven Gerrard will not be facing any disciplinary action regarding his alleged V-sign in the direction of referee Andre Marriner.
The Liverpool captain has come under the spotlight for the incident which occurred after he was booked in the 81st minute of his side's 1-0 defeat at Wigan on Monday night.
Reds manager Rafa Benitez defended his skipper on Wednesday, claiming 'it was nothing', and the FA has now announced it will not be taking any action.
It is understood Marriner saw the incident at the time, but did not deem it worthy of further punishment and under those circumstances the FA cannot take retrospective action.
Gerrard will now focus on getting ready to travel to France with his team-mates for Thursday's Europa League tie against Lille.

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 14th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Tottenham vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Birmingham |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Wolverhampton vs Stoke |
| 17:30 | Chelsea vs West Brom |
| Sunday 15th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 16:00 | Liverpool vs Arsenal |
| Monday 16th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man Utd vs Newcastle |
| Saturday 21st August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Blackpool |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Everton vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Tottenham |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Bolton |
| 17:15 | Wigan vs Chelsea |
| Sunday 22nd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Newcastle vs Aston Villa |
| 16:00 | Fulham vs Man Utd |
| Monday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man City vs Liverpool |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 9th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 4 - 0 Stoke | |
| Wolverhampton 2 - 1 Sunderland | |
| West Ham 1 - 1 Man City | |
| Bolton 2 - 1 Birmingham | |
| Chelsea 8 - 0 Wigan | |
| Hull 0 - 0 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 4 - 2 Tottenham | |
| Arsenal 4 - 0 Fulham | |
| Everton 1 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Wednesday 5th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 0 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Fulham 0 - 1 Stoke | |
| Monday 3rd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 2 - 2 Hull | |
| Blackburn 2 - 1 Arsenal | |
| Sunday 2nd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 0 - 2 Chelsea | |
| Fulham 3 - 2 West Ham | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Saturday 1st May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 2 - 1 Burnley | |
| Stoke 0 - 0 Everton | |
| Portsmouth 3 - 1 Wolverhampton | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Birmingham City | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Blackpool | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Everton | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Fulham | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Liverpool | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Manchester City | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Manchester United | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Stoke City | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Sunderland | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Wigan Athletic | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 0 |
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Skysports.com picks two Manchester City sides to outline the strength of depth at their disposal.
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Defender Danny Wilson has penned a three-year deal with Liverpool from Rangers after passing his medical.
David Sullivan insists Scott Parker is staying at West Ham as Aston Villa do not have enough money to sign him.
Comments (14)
Saqib Rashid (Manchester United fan) says...
I'm a United fan and I'm not being bitter towards Liverpool but I can't help feel the FA would have taken action had it been a United player.. Respect the Ref?? I think that is a myth.
Posted 16:02 10th March 2010
Simon Rogerson (Manchester City fan) says...
Suprise suprise....one rule for everyone else, a completely different set of rules for the "big 4". So much for the "respect" campaign an England and good to see that the Enland team has another fine leader who is a shining example of how to behave on the pitch!!!!
Posted 15:54 10th March 2010
Adam Theobald (Manchester City fan) says...
What a suprise - the FA bottling another decision against one of the 'big 4'. If this was Bellamy he would have been banned for 4 games - grow a backbone FA
Posted 15:49 10th March 2010
John Giles (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...
once again the F.A let Steven Gerrard off with a slap of the wrist why is he a special case
Posted 15:42 10th March 2010
Big Sam (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Typical, If this is any other player, from any other un favouratised club (if that is even a word) there would be links to barry fergusen and alan mcgregor i think it was - all over the media, because it is steven gerrard he gets off with it. Its about time football became fair just like the f.a and premier league always claim to want!
Posted 15:24 10th March 2010
Cllifford Canty says...
I not sure if Gerrard was 'on the hook'. It was surely found that there was no a case to answer?
Posted 15:21 10th March 2010
Hazel Glenn says...
I think this is worse than having an affair. Again a let off for Gerrad, a role model to kids.
Posted 15:08 10th March 2010
Linda Martin (Chelsea fan) says...
Didn't you just know he wouldn't be charged bet if it had been Drogba the FA would have come down on him like a ton of bricks!
Posted 15:07 10th March 2010
El Noel (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Let's hope that, in the wake of this, more players decide to use obscene gestures towards referees, further highlighting the spineless attitude of the FA. Respect campaign? What campaign?!?
Posted 14:38 10th March 2010
Paul Corrigan (Manchester City fan) says...
one word. DISGUSTING. Gerrard clearly swore directly at the match official and should be banned for at least six games. I would like to see what would have happened had it happened on a Rugby League field. Steve Ganson would have sent him straight off. That type of dissent has to be stamped out. Pathetic
Posted 14:23 10th March 2010
Adrian Calder (Manchester United fan) says...
If he played for United he would have got a 3 match ban probably...joke!
Posted 14:21 10th March 2010
Simon Baxendale (Manchester United fan) says...
how has he managed to get away with that, what happened to the Respect campaign?
Posted 14:12 10th March 2010
Andrew Howells (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Andre Marriner has made a mockery of the Respect the Ref campaign. Gerrard's foul was a booking. The ref then admits Gerrard makes a v sign at him and says its not a punishable offence! If ref's have no respect for themselves, players certainly won't. It should have been a second yellow and off.
Posted 13:27 10th March 2010
Dani Taylor (Inter Milan fan) says...
haha!! makes you wonder, who else would actually get away with flashing the V's at a ref?
Posted 13:25 10th March 2010