BRENDAN RODGERS has urged Premier League referees to stop punishing Liverpool for their honesty.

The Anfield boss has contacted referees’ chief Mike Riley to express his frustration at the string of big decisions which have gone against the Reds this season.

Rodgers believes his players have paid the price for staying on their feet, while rivals have been rewarded by officials for exaggerating contact and going to ground easily.

“I’m concerned that we’ve not had any sort of rub of the green from officials,” Rodgers said.

“We like to think we are a sporting team. I have always told my players to do the right thing, not to dive, to play fair.

“But the fairness we show, it seems the decisions pass us by because of it. There are so many decisions that have gone against us – penalties and red cards.

“I spoke to Mike Riley and he expected me to call earlier. He has seen decisions go against us. I didn’t ring after the United game, I wanted to speak to the assessor first but he hasn’t contacted me.

“But after the West Brom game, I had to call. Jordan Henderson got a horrendous tackle and the player wasn’t even booked, while Andre Wisdom won the ball with a fair challenge and was booked.

“During my time at Chelsea I saw enough games to see that sometimes the big clubs do get decisions. I came here to one of the biggest clubs in the world and in my opening period we haven’t got a thing so I just wanted to ask the question and put my point across.

“I said to Mike Riley we have to be careful that we don’t discourage players who are trying to respect the game. It would be a shame if players who respect the rules and managers who are asking players to stay on their feet and not dive are not getting the decisions because of it.

“I think it is important that referees understand that. It has been a criticism of the last few years of players going down too easy. It is not something we want to encourage but if you’re not going to get decisions because of it players may do that.”

Last weekend saw Luis Suarez controversially denied a penalty for the second successive league game before Antonio Valencia’s fall in the box earned Manchester United a soft spot-kick which proved to be the winner.

Referee Mark Halsey had earlier dismissed Reds midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and allowed Jonny

Evans to go unpunished – despite the United defender also going in with his studs showing.

Rodgers admits the way Suarez, who was wrongly booked for diving at Sunderland, is being treated by officials is a major concern.

“Suarez has had a couple of good penalty appeals turned down,” he said. “He hasn’t dived, they have been legitimate, yet he hasn’t got them.

“He went down at Sunderland and it looked a clear penalty but he ended up getting booked, while players have dived against us and got penalties for absolutely nothing.

“Last weekend in the United game there was more contact in Suarez’s case than there was in Valencia’s and Valencia gets a penalty and we get nothing other than a hard luck story.

“I am not sure if Suarez’s reputation is counting against him, you would need to ask the referees, but I do know if it’s a penalty, then it’s a penalty, no matter what your reputation.

“He certainly doesn’t ever look like he is going to get a decision and that is something which would bother me going forward.

“I am not one to criticise them (referees) publicly and look to play any sort of mind games to gain an advantage but when it is going against the club I have to speak my mind.

“We just want it to be recognised we are a sporting team that tries to be fair, and we want fairness in return, because we feel as though there has been a trend against us. We hope we get better decisions over the next couple of weeks.”