Gerrard finds himself in the frame after Anfield incident

LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard could be embroiled in a row about trial by television after appearing to strike Michael Brown on the back of the head in last night's 4-1 win over Portsmouth at Anfield.

With a quarter of the match to go Gerrard and Brown chased a ball towards the penalty area but, as the Pompey midfielder tried to hold off the England internationalist, Gerrard seemed to hit his opponent with his forearm.

Referee Stuart Attwell was only a few yards from the incident but took no action.

Manager Rafael Benitez is confident his captain will escape further punishment.

"I don't think so," said the Spaniard when asked if he was worried about retrospective action against his captain. "I haven't seen it but I was asking and I think it was nothing."

The incident overshadowed Liverpool's biggest victory since September as Torres scored his 14th and 15th goals in the Premier League this season, with Ryan Babel and Alberto Aquilani also on target before Nadir Belhadj's late consolation.