The 40-year-old was angered by decisions going against his side in the recent 2-1 loss to Manchester City, describing the performance of the match officials as “horrendous”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been charged by the Football Association for comments made after his side’s defeat to Manchester City.

Rodgers was dismayed with a series of decisions that he felt went against his side in the 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, labelling the performance of the officials as “horrendous”.

Raheem Sterling saw an opening goal ruled out for offside, despite replays suggesting he was onside, while Luis Suarez was denied a penalty in the closing stages as his team looked to salvage a point.

The Northern Irishman also questioned the decision to appoint Bolton-born referee Lee Mason for the encounter stating: “Hopefully we won’t have a Greater Manchester referee with Liverpool-Manchester games in future.”

The FA took a dim view of the comments and confirmed they have launched an investigation.

Rodgers has subsequently been charged by the governing body and has until January 8 to respond.

A statement by the FA read: “Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been charged by The FA over post-match media comments he made following his side’s game against Manchester City on 26 December 2013.

“It is alleged the comments by Rodgers called into question the integrity of the match referee, and/or implied that the match referee was motivated by bias; and/or brought the game into disrepute; and/or amounted to a failure to act in the best interests of the game.”

The Belgian has urged his team-mates to guard against complacency in the FA Cup and insists that the Reds will be taking the competition seriously

Simon Mignolet knows Liverpool require a “professional” performance to avoid back-to-back FA Cup upsets against Oldham Athletic.

The seven-time winners were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition in the fourth round at Boundary Park last January, losing 3-2 to the League One side.

And goalkeeper Mignolet, who joined from Sunderland in June, has called for focus as the Reds look to secure a safe passage into the draw for round four.

“For them it is already a cup final,” Mignolet told the Liverpool Echo.

“It is already a big game for them to look forward to and they will come here and try to show everyone what they can do at a ground like Anfield. We have to make sure we are professional and do a job.”

The Belgium international added: “We want to win any game. That doesn’t make any difference whether it is the FA Cup, Capital One Cup or any other games – we try to step on and prepare ourselves and make sure we get out of the game what we can get out of it.

“I would always watch the FA Cup finals growing up in Belgium. It is a very important competition. It is a big opportunity as you can play at Wembley but that is far ahead of us.

“The next game is the most important one and before you get to that stage you have to win a lot of games and against Oldham it won’t be an easy game.”

The Moroccan international says Brendan Rodgers has sent him texts of encouragement during his spell at the Britannia Stadium but admits he does not know where he will end up

Oussama Assaidi has hinted that he would be interested in staying at Stoke City when his loan spell finishes at the end of the season.

The Morocco winger joined Stoke on a season-long loan from Liverpool in August after failing to break into the first team at Anfield.

Assaidi, 25, has made an impressive impact at the Britannia Stadium and scored his third league goal in the last six league games as Mark Hughes’ side drew 1-1 with Everton on New Year’s Day.

The former Heerenveen man is unsure whether he has a future on Merseyside and, for the time being, is relishing the opportunity to show what he is capable of at Stoke.

“I don’t know what is going to happen with me,” Assaidi said. “Sometimes [Liverpool manager] Brendan Rodgers texts me, but I don’t know.

“I am very happy here, because Mark Hughes has made me better, giving me a lot of confidence and letting me do my job the way I want to.

“Everyone at the club seems to like me. We will see at the end of the year what happens.”

Elaborating on the contact he has received from Rodgers, Assaidi added: “He texts me sometimes if I score, saying ‘well done’, ‘keep going’ and ‘I am hearing good things about you’.

“But I love to play here for Stoke because they have given me a chance.”