Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 25/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

Photo Courtesy of the Belfast Telegraph

As the fall-out from Manchester United’s feisty 2-1 win at Liverpool on Sunday continues, it has emerged that referee Mark Halsey has complained to Police about the disgraceful tweets sent to him after the match.

Some of the messages referred to Halsey’s treatment for throat cancer in 2009. "I can confirm that my family have made a complaint to the police," he told BBC Sport.

The 51-year-old had sent Jonjo Shelvey off and given United a debatable penalty in the battle at Anfield.

Glen Johnson meanwhile has accused Antonio Valencia of ‘cheating’ to win that controversial penalty, which Robin Van Persie converted.

“It wasn’t a penalty. I didn’t touch him. I collided with Pepe (Reina) and I didn’t touch Valencia at all,” the England defender said.

“It’s cheating and that’s what people call it. Reputations go in front of people at times and because Valencia is not someone who is known as a diver, he gets the decision.”

To make matters worse at Liverpool, their injury problems continued with the news that defender Martin Kelly is set to miss the next six months with a cruciate ligament injury.

The 22-year-old joins Fabio Borini, Daniel Agger on the sidelines, with Shelvey set to miss three games as well through suspension.

In other news, Theo Walcott has hit out at critics branding his refusal to sign a new contract at Arsenal as ‘money related’.

The England man has stated that his concerns are motivated by a desire to play as a striker, not as a winger as he is usually deployed by Arsene Wenger.

"I've been judged, with people saying it's all about money. It's never been that with me," Walcott stated.

"Playing up front is important. It's one of the main factors for me." 

In the Monday night Championship action, Huddersfield Town toppled Blackpool 3-1, with goals courtesy of Lee Novak, James Vaughan and Oliver Norwood, to move above the Seasiders into second in the table.

And finally, Everton have taken former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger on trial.

The German, famed for his powerful left foot, is a free agent after leaving Wolfsburg in the Summer.

Route One's Daily Football News Round-Up - 24/9/2012

We find the latest football news stories making the headlines, so you don’t have to. 

Picture courtesy of Mobbly.com

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was left “bitterly disappointed” by referee Mark Halsey’s performance in his side’s 2-1 loss against rivals Manchester United.

Jonjo Shelvey was sent off for a naughty lunge at Jonny Evans, and this misery was compounded by the decision to award a penalty to the Red Devils late in the game, following a trip from Glen Johnson on Antonio Valencia.

"We could control our players' performance but what we can't control is decisions by the referee," Rodgers later said.

Defeat leaves Liverpool in the bottom three, and without a win to their name in this campaign. The Red Devils meanwhile climb ominously up to second.

Jonjo Shelvey has publicly apologised for his sending off, and also for the confrontation with Sir Alex Ferguson as he left the field of play.

The England Under-21 international was seen pointing his finger and mouthing angrily at the United boss, and had to be led down the tunnel by a police officer.

“I have apologised to Sir Alex...where I come from people don’t grass people up to get someone sent off,” Shelvey was quoted as saying.

Elsewhere yesterday, Laurent Koscielny’s late equaliser secured Arsenal a point in a classy encounter at Manchester City, Demba Ba continued his hot streak with Newcastle’s winner against old boy Chris Hughton’s Norwich, and Tottenham came from behind to beat a tidy QPR outfit at White Hart Lane.

The FA’s investigation into John Terry’s alleged racially-motivated abusing of Anton Ferdinand begins today.

Back in July the Chelsea skipper was cleared in court of a criminal inquiry into the matter, but he was charged by the FA a fortnight later.

On a seemingly related note, Terry has recently announced he is to retire from international football. He believes the FA’s decision to seek further action has made his position with the national side ‘untenable’.