EVERTON FORWARD KEVIN Mirallas has admitted that he expected to be sent off for a foul on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez during the sides’ 3-3 draw on Saturday.

Suarez was left with stud marks on his knee after Mirallas flew into him into the 36th minute of the Premier League game at Goodison Park, but he escaped with a yellow card.

Suarez was able to continue, but Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said Mirallas “should have been sent off” and the Everton man conceded he was fortunate not to be dismissed.

When I made the challenge, the first thing I thought was that it was going to be a red card,” the Belgian said, in comments reported by several British newspapers on Monday.

“I was genuinely going for the ball, but I know I caught him on the knee and I said sorry straight away.”

Rodgers was trenchant in his criticism of Mirallas after the game, calling his challenge the sort of foul “that can end your career”.

“I have seen Kevin for a few years and he looks a real honest player, but if you look at it in every way, real time and slow motion, it is a bad challenge,” Rodgers said.

- © AFP, 2013

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