RAFA BENITEZ branded Antonio Valencia a diver as Manchester United stormed back to the top of the Premier League.

The Liverpool boss hit out after winger Valencia won United a penalty which turned the tide of a hot-tempered duel at Old Trafford.

The Ecuadorian collapsed under a challenge from Javier Mascherano to earn the 12th-minute spot-kick, which Wayne Rooney netted from the rebound after Pepe Reina saved.

The goal came just seven minutes after Fernando Torres had stunned United with a brilliant header.

Asked if he thought Valencia had dived, Benitez said: "Yes I think so. There is maybe a contact but the way he fell down was strange.

"I've seen three replays and the last one was very suspicious.

"See the replay and how he fell to the ground.

"The penalty made a big, big difference. One situation changed everything."

The decision sparked a confrontation between Benitez and United boss Alex Ferguson, who thought Mascherano should have been sent off as last man, not just booked.

Benitez said: "When you have different opinions you have to express different opinions. He has his own opinion about everything. Jamie Carragher was coming across."

But Ferguson said: "I thought for the penalty kick it was a red card.

"There was no way Carragher could have got across to stop Valencia from shooting, absolutely no way. He's too quick for Carragher to get across.

"It was a penalty but you have seen it time and time again - the law of the game is that if you stop a player from a goalscoring opportunity, it's a red card. But not today it wasn't.

"He tugged him and obviously I think the referee is right. He was right through on goal, he did bring him down, it wasn't until he was inside the box that he brought him down."

Fergie complained ahead of the game that Steven Gerrard had not been banned for yesterday's encounter after catching Portsmouth's Michael Brown with his forearm in a match on Monday.

Benitez said: "He said this just on Friday? Which Friday? This Friday or every Friday? I'm really surprised when you talk about these things. The refs are professional.

"We know about the influence of Sir Alex in everything but these referees are very professional."

Ferguson hailed the form of red-hot Rooney but said he made an error when he had his penalty saved before following it in. He said: "Wayne said to me he changed his mind. So I said, 'Never change your mind'.

"He went the other way but he got the rebound."

It was Rooney's 33rd goal of an incredible season for the United and England star.

Fergie said: "He has always been a good player but lately he has taken a massive leap forward in his development.

"Moving him further forward to threaten more in the box has undoubtedly helped his goalscoring but it also has to be said that Wayne has practised more after normal training and it has greatly improved his movement.

"We encourage all the players to practise after a training session and they are responding and looking upon it as a normal thing to do.

"Sometimes you get rewards when you do that and I think that's what we are seeing now with Wayne."

Ji Sung Park's winner was the icing on the cake for another hardworking performance from the South Korean.

Fergie said: "He's one of these players that we can give him roles to play because of his intelligence and discipline.

"Today we found another role for him.

"It was slightly different from the Milan games but nonetheless really important for us. He's such a bright little lad that his courage got him the goal."

Ferguson also had a special word for Darren Fletcher's display.

Ferguson said: "His workrate, he was born with that. He has natural energy and he has such a light frame too, he covers every inch of the ground and does a great job for us.

"It's interesting we have lost the last three games to Liverpool and Darren has missed every one of them, twice with flu and once with injury."

Fletcher himself said: "You want to win the title with flowing great football but there are games along the way where you have to grind opponents down and show character and that was one of those."