Brendan Rodgers has issued a veiled warning that Liverpool players could resort to unsporting means to win decisions having been denied "the rub of the green" from referees this season.
The Liverpool manager believes Luis Suárez has been refused legitimate penalties in the past two Premier League games, against Sunderland and Manchester United, and claims major decisions have gone against his team since the opening day of the season at West Bromwich Albion.
Rodgers phoned Mike Riley, head of Professional Game Match Officials, to express his grievances on Thursday and afterwards made the stark admission that, in the absence of legitimate fouls, players will be tempted to exaggerate contact to sway referees in future.
"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.
"I spoke to Mike Riley and he admitted he expected me to call earlier. I didn't ring after the Manchester United game, I wanted to speak to the assessor first on that one, and he hasn't contacted us yet. 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. Things aren't going for us at all.
"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."
Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson admitted Suárez's reputation for theatrics preceded him after an appeal for a penalty against United, following a tackle by Jonny Evans, was denied by the referee Mark Halsey on Sunday.
Rodgers added: "Suárez has had a couple of good penalty appeals, he hasn't dived, they have been legitimate, and he's actually got booked. He went down at Sunderland and it looked a clear penalty and he ended up getting booked for it. Last weekend in the Manchester United game there was more contact in his case than there was in Antonio Valencia's and Valencia gets a penalty and we get nothing other than a hard-luck story.
"I'm not sure [Suárez's reputation is influencing officials] – you'd need to ask the referees – but he is a wonderful talent and irrespective of whether he goes down, if it's a penalty, it's a penalty. What I have seen, he certainly doesn't ever look like he is going to get a decision and that is something which would bother me going forward."