Smicer says sorry over row with Kop

Vladimir Smicer apologised yesterday for the loss of control that left him at loggerheads with fans in the Kop and compounded Liverpool's misery at suffering their fourth Premiership home defeat of the season against Southampton.

The Liverpool midfielder admitted he saw red after being berated by a supporter over Southampton's second goal and that he was wrong to get involved in a furious row.

After failing to keep out Michael Svensson's header, Smicer turned to retrieve the ball from the back of the net and was confronted by a volley of abuse from a fan who had run to the front to make his feelings known.

When the Czech Republic midfielder answered in kind, he found himself under fire from others in the Kop in a flashpoint he now regrets.

'I shouldn't have reacted the way I did and I'm sorry I did so,' he said. 'I was not shouting at the Kop, I was reacting to one particular individual. I was standing on the goal-line and I tried to stop the goal. When I didn't, a supporter ran towards the goal and started swearing at me and telling me what a bad player I am. I just shouted back at him. Then a few other fans reacted to me.

'It happened in the heat of the game. It was a bad moment. The fan was unhappy with me and I wasn't prepared to take such abuse, but I know it was wrong.'