Should Mascherano have been sent off

[Beefy]

Was the referee right in sending off Mascherano in todays game at Old Trafford ?

[Beefy]

For along time now i've said players should be punished for harrassing referees, seeing todays replay i've got mixed feelings about Mascherano's dismissal. He was wrong for running 30 yards to have a go at the Ref, but watching the replay i don't think he said that much wrong. His reaction after being sent off was over the top and i'm sure action will be taken. Steve Bennett has made a decision and he should be praised for taking the stance, i just hope it now becomes consistent throughout the game.
I find it ironic that the worst offenders in my opinion are Man Utd and it's them that become the first team to gain from a sending off. Do you think Steve Bennett would have sent off Ferdinand or Rooney if it'd been them instead of Mascherano, we'll never know but i doubt it

[Kelly]

I've just watched MOTD, and they pointed out that Mascherano was continuously digging at the Ref. In the end, Bennett had had enough. There's always the argument, also pointed out on MOTD, that Bennett should've had a word with Gerrard about Mascheranos conduct but maybe Gerrard should've, as his Captain, had words before it came to it. I'd like to think Bennett would be consistent, and this goes for all Referees, and perform the same way should the situation arise, regardless of the team as I think it needs eradicating from The Beautiful Game. But somehow I don't think so.

[Crobinho]

i was watching both of the games on the grand slam weekend
so i've seen the behavior Mascherano showed the entire game until he was sent off
he was simply asking for it, because there was no single decision Bennett made against Liverpool without Mascherano beeing ironic and trash-talking
so i think that the decision to sent him off was more then right
regarding Beefys opinion that he wouldnt sent off Ferdinand or Rooney, i dont believe that Bennett is the kind of Ref to be impressed by anyone and he had the game under control the whole time

[The Titch]

The respect element is meant to be a new initiative but it seems to be forgotten by the top players - remember Chelsea last week with Ashley Cole? Mike Riley was surrounded by them. I would really like to see refs getting the same respect as rugby union refs. Remember the world cup final try that was not given - if that was football the ref would have been vilified as Urs Meier was for disallowing the goal for England.

[briggcov]

Yes he should have been sent off. This whole problem is driven by managers through their players, Alex Ferguson is a prime example of a manager trying to intimidate referees and I'm sure teh crowding of the Ref which was supposed to be banned is a tactic used by big clubs to influence the ref.

Club and players should be dealt retro-spectivley on these occasions fines and bans should be imposed.

[CFC CONNOR]

I DO BECAUSE HE SHUNT OF BEEN GOBBY TO THE REF