Styles dropped for next weekend's action after clanger

LONDON, Aug 20, 2007 (espnstar.com) - Rob Styles has been told that he will not be refereeing next weekend, after wrongly awarding Chelsea a penalty during the west London side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

Styles, who has since apologised for his howler, has been told that he will not be officiating during next Saturday and Sunday's BPL action by referees' chief Keith Hackett.

The move comes in the wake of a poor Styles decision that allowed Frank Lampard to equalise from the spot.

Hackett, commenting after seeing Styles wrongly adjudge that Steve Finnan had fouled Florent Malouda, said that Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) which oversees referees, said that officials must pay the price for making major mistakes.

"Accountability exists and we, the PGMOL, do expect referees to get big decisions correct," he revealed.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was left infuriated by the decision.

"That decision is impossible to explain, it was the invisible penalty" said the Spaniard.

To make matters worse for Styles, he also seemed to give Michael Essien a second yellow card but then explained it was meant for John Terry.

Meanwhile, Hackett also took time out to confirm the assistant referee at the Fulham versus Middlesbrough match had also been dropped after Fulham striker David Healy was denied a goal when the ball clearly crossed the line.