LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League referee Rob Styles has been dropped from this weekend's matches after awarding Chelsea a controversial penalty in Sunday's match at Liverpool.

Styles gave Chelsea a penalty when Florent Malouda went down despite minimal contact from Liverpool defender Steve Finnan and Frank Lampard converted the spot kick to give the London side a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

"(Styles) looked at the video with the decision and he's admitted that he got it wrong," chief of referees Keith Hackett was quoted as saying on Sky Sports News yesterday.

"I've left a message with (Liverpool manager) Rafa Benitez to apologise on behalf of the PGMO (Professional Game Match Officials) for the error," Hackett added.

"I did in pre-season say to managers and the general public that accountability exists and we do, at the PGMO, expect referees to get the big decisions correct.

"On this occasion this is wrong and therefore Rob will not be officiating next weekend."

Benitez was incensed by the penalty decision that left Liverpool, who had taken the lead through Fernando Torres, in seventh place with four points from two games at the start of a season in which he is determined they win their first championship title since 1990. Chelsea are second with seven points from three games.

Styles also appeared to book Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien for a second time in the match shortly after the equaliser but did not send him off.

However, Hackett explained that Styles, having booked Chelsea captain John Terry still had his yellow card in his hand when he raised his arm to indicate a free kick.

"He showed the card to John Terry, then held the card to indicate an indirect free kick," he said.

"In fairness, he forgot to put the card away so it was a basic... admin error as against an error in application of law but it is again something where we'll look closely at the video to ensure we don't get a repeat of that."

Hackett said a linesman at Saturday's Fulham game against Middlesbrough had also been dropped. The London side were denied an equaliser when a shot by striker David Healy appeared to have crossed the line, a fact confirmed by television replays.