Hodgson: Torres is no cheat

Roy Hodgson has hit back at Alex Ferguson over the Fernando Torres affair - as Dirk Kuyt prepares to make a shock first team return.

Liverpool return to Premier League action today and Hodgson is debating whether to pitch the Holland international back into the fray just 19 days after damaging his shoulder ligaments.

Torres will be in the starting line-up that takes on Sunderland at Anfield and Hodgson has rubbished Ferguson's ludicrous claim that the striker made the most of a challenge from John O'Shea last week to get the Manchester United defender sent off.

Though some fans will have worried that Ferguson's comments will pray on the mind of referees, Hodgson does not believe that will be the case and he says it would be ridiculous for anyone to label Torres as a cheat.

What's more, he has turned the spotlight on Manchester United winger Nani, who spent much of the 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford indulging in amateur dramatics.

"Alex is a good friend of mine and knows how to use the mass media and he's used it very well there," said Hodgson. "He might have used it to deflect from Nani who - certainly on one or two occasions - was playing for fouls in our opinion so I'm not concerned about that at all.

"Fernando Torres is not a cheat. He has proved that time and time again. He is a very respected player, he is strong and takes players on. He is not easy to stop and he is going to get fouls like he did for the equalising goals.

"I don't think anybody thinks that was not a foul on the edge of the box. I can understand the penalty as well because it is a bit unlucky on the player because he slides but unfortunately that is a stonewall pen when you slide and take somebody out of the game.

"There is no danger of us cheating."

The Liverpool boss admitted he made a mistake in not speaking earlier but did not feel the need to as he thought Ferguson's claims were so far-fetched.

"I didn't think it was necessary to say it because it was insulting people's intelligence. For me, it was one of Alex's inflammatory little digs to make his victory even sweeter and our defeat even harder and that's part of the game."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.