Winter stands by decision

Report: Liverpool 3-1 Leeds

Leeds manager Peter Reid could not hide his frustration after seeing referee Jeff Winter controversially allow Danny Murphy's free-kick to stand at Anfield.

Substitute Murphy saw his effort squeeze through Paul Robinson's hands and referee Winter ignored a linesman's flag for offside.

And Reid joked he was hoping Winter would secure himself a full-time job on BBC sports show Superstars, in which the Premiership official acts as referee.

"I have not had a word with the referee - it is not worth a £10,000 fine these days," said Reid.

"But the sooner Jeff Winter goes off to Superstars permanently the better from our point of view."

Winter overruled flag-waving official Ray Gould, deciding three Liverpool players were not interfering with play.

"My colleague correctly indicated that there were three players in an offside position," said the referee.

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"Ninety-nine times out of 100 when the flag goes up you hit the whistle and give the offside.

"But I felt from my position - where I have a totally different view from the linesman looking across the pitch - that the ball was going to go into the net anyway.

"There were three players standing offside. But that does not mean you have to give the offside. They were not interfering and did not affect the outcome.

"The game is about goals, and with the offside law for the last few years the view has been that doubt should be given to the attacking side rather than just whistling every time the flag goes up."

But Reid was not impressed and said: "That decision changed the game. The goal should have been disallowed.

"We work very hard at getting out quickly at defensive free-kicks to leave attackers offside in the box.

"We practise it for hours, and the players did exactly what they were told to do.

"But all their hard work has been punished by that decision. The linesman did his job but the referee said no.

"It is a grey area in football, and I doubt Gerard Houllier would have been happy if it had happened against his side.

"I also wonder what the decision would have been had the game been at our ground.

"The decision changed the game - although Paul Robinson should have saved the free-kick and he knows that."

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