LONDON (AFP) - Javier Mascherano has had the deadline for his response to a Football Association charge of improper conduct extended 24 hours until 1800GMT Friday, the governing body has announced.

The Liverpool midfielder, who has been on international duty with Argentina, had been due to respond to the charge on Thursday following his sending-off for dissent during Sunday's 3-0 Premier League defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

However, the date for the case to be heard by a regulatory commission has been brought forward to Thursday, April 3.

Mascherano had to be effectively dragged off the pitch by members of the Liverpool coaching staff after being shown a red card by referee Steve Bennett on the stroke of half-time.

He received a second yellow card following his protests against a caution issued to Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, while accepting Mascherano had been wrong to question Bennett's decision, felt a sending-off was excessively harsh.

Mascherano, 23, can accept or deny the charge and also has the option of requesting a personal hearing.

He is currently serving a one-match suspension for the dismissal, ruling him out of Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.

But if the charge of improper conduct is upheld then he will also miss Premier League games against Arsenal on April 5 and Blackburn eight days later.

However, any ban would exclude the Champions League quarter-final first and second legs against Arsenal on April 2 and 9.

Liverpool are fourth in the table, just two points ahead of Everton - their closest challenges for the fourth and final English qualifying place for next season's Champions League.

Defeat at Old Trafford left them 14 points behind leaders United, the reigning Premier League champions, and effectively ended any lingering title hopes Benitez's men may have had with seven league matches of the season left.