Liverpool legend: Van Persie should have seen red

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar says Manchester United striker Robin van Persie should have been sent off on Sunday, given the benchmark set by the referee when Jonjo Shelvey was shown red.

Shelvey was given his marching orders in the first half at Anfield after a lunging tackle on United defender Jonny Evans, although both players appeared to dive into the challenge recklessly.

Van Persie, meanwhile, was fortunate to escape sanction for a dangerous tackle on Liverpool youngster Suso and Grobbelaar believes it was worthy of the same punishment handed out to Shelvey.

"It was a fantastic game of football, but it just marred it by the decisions that the referee made," the Anfield legend told talkSPORT.

"Later on in the second-half they could have had one person sent off as well. Should [Van Persie] have been sent off? I say that, if he sent off Shelvey, he should have sent the boy off on the second-half."

Van Persie scored the winner for United from the penalty spot after the visitors had fallen behind to a Steven Gerrard strike shortly after the interval.

Rafael levelled up with a sumptuous half-volley just four minutes later, before Antonio Valencia was fouled by Glen Johnson and Van Persie converted to register his fifth goal of the season.