Benitez vents fury at Heinze saga

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has launched a stinging attack at both the Premier League and Manchester United over the Gabriel Heinze saga.

Heinze lost a hearing to try to force a move to Anfield, after a dispute over a letter which the Argentine claimed allowed him to move for �6.8m.

"He has a document which is clear," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.

"But the Premier League prefers to believe the word of someone else who made a mistake."

He added: "I know there were accusations made against Liverpool in the hearing which were unbelievable. How can this be allowed?"

Benitez also expressed his anger at the Premier League's fixture scheduling ahead of the club's away game at Sunderland at 1245 BST this Saturday.

The Spaniard said: "I would like to ask the Premier League why is it that Liverpool always plays the most fixtures away from home in an early kick-off, following an international break?

"We had more than the top clubs last season and we have four already to prepare for this season."

Benitez was also angry about what he claimed was the drawn-out nature of Liverpool's signing of Javier Mascherano, compared to United's signing of Carlos Tevez - a deal he felt was pushed through quicker.

Mascherano and Tevez were signed last summer by West Ham but their moves were been complicated over issues relating to third-party ownership in their contracts.

"I want to ask the Premier League why it was so difficult for Liverpool to sign Javier Mascherano, when we had to wait a long time for the paperwork, but it was so easy for Carlos Tevez to join Manchester United?"

Source: BBC Sport