Fury: Patrice Evra
(right) pushes Luis Suarez away at Anfield
Manchester United star Patrice Evra has accused Liverpool
striker Luis Suarez of racially abusing him during the 1-1 draw at
Anfield.
Evra claimed Suarez had used the same racial
insult ‘more than 10 times’ and the Liverpool player faces a
Football Association investigation after referee Andre Marriner
included Evra’s allegations about Suarez’s language in his match
report.
Sources in France said the word Suarez is alleged
to have used is ‘n*****’.
Marriner was seen talking to the players after a
clash at a second-half corner and Evra was later booked for
dissent.
Liverpool said Suarez categorically denied the
claims, but France full-back Evra, who was born in the Senegal
capital of Dakar, told French TV channel Canal Plus: ‘I was very
upset. In 2011 you can’t say things like this. He knows what he
said, the ref knows it, it will come out.
‘I won’t repeat what he said, but it was a racist
word, and he said it more than ten times. He tried to wind me up. I
won’t make a huge deal out of it, but it’s very upsetting and
disappointing.’
Flashpoint: Referee Andre Marriner talks to Liverpool
striker Luis Suarez (centre) and Manchester United defender Patrice
Evra during the clash at Anfield
Suarez is no stranger to controversy. The Uruguay striker earned
notoriety at last year’s World Cup by handling a goalbound effort
by Ghana in the final moments of the quarter-final, then
celebrating when the resulting penalty was missed and Uruguay went
through on a penalty shoot-out.
In November, he was suspended for seven games by
the Dutch authorities for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Moroccan
midfielder Otman Bakkal on the shoulder while playing for previous
club Ajax.
There have also been accusations of Suarez diving
but a conviction for racism would be far more serious and would
overshadow the impressive start he has made in English
football.
Close attention: Evra holds off Suarez
The £22.8million signing has
already established himself as a Liverpool hero after producing a
number of impressive performances worthy of the No 7 shirt which
was worn with such distinction by his manager Kenny
Dalglish.
A Liverpool spokesman said: ‘The first we knew
about these allegations was 20 minutes after the final whistle when
the manager was asked to go into the referee’s office and told
about them.
‘The first thing we did, as you would expect, is
ask the player and he has categorically denied using any language
of that nature.’
An FA spokesman said: ‘The FA has been made aware
this evening of an incident that is alleged to have occurred during
the Liverpool versus Manchester United fixture at
Anfield.
'Referee Andre Marriner was made aware of the
allegation at the end of the fixture and has subsequently reported
this to the FA. The FA will now be making enquiries into the
matter.’
Caught red handed: Suarez handles Dominic Adiyah's
goalbound header
