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Still not guilty: Dalglish re-ignites Suarez controversy

Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford this weekend, Kenny Dalglish has refused to draw a line under the race row which has dominated the Reds rivalry with Manchester United this season.

KENNY DALGLISH HAS added fuel to the embers that are the Luis Suarez race row.

The Liverpool boss last night re-affirmed his stance that no action should have been taken against Suarez after Patrice Evra had made claims of racial abuse in the league meeting between the two in October.

The Uruguayan was subsequently found guilty by the Independent Regulatory Commission, enlisted by the FA to preside on the matter and hit with a fine and eight game ban.

That ban has now been served in full. But rather than draw a line under the matter after the striker returned to action in Liverpool’s stalemate with Tottenham Hotspur last night, Dalglish further railed against the ruling and told reporters:

“It’s fantastic to have him back. He should never have been out in the first place.”

The Reds were heavily criticised for their handling of the issue throughout, particularly when the whole squad donned t-shirts bearing Suarez’ image before the Premier League fixture against Wigan in December.

The Scot himself wore one of the shirts before that game and, last night, reiterated his point that Suarez was innocent.

“Luis Suarez doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone at Liverpool FC.” Said Dalglish.

“Every time he gets the ball you think he’s going to do something. We don’t think he should ever have been away but we are delighted to have him back.”

It took little time for the striker to court controversy again, carelessly giving Scott Parker a 70th minute volley to the stomach as a ball dropped on the English midfielder’s head.

With Manchester United hosting Liverpool in the Premier League this Saturday, parties on both sides are evidently stoking the flames. Watching the game from home, Wayne Rooney tweeted:

Reporters relayed Rooney’s message to the Liverpool manager during the post match briefing, along with the opinion of Sky Sports analyst, Gary Neville, who also felt Suarez had “got away with one.”

Dalglish gave a wry smile at the names – synonymous with Alex ferguson’s team - linked to the comments and dryly replied:

“I don’t have a view on what has been tweeted, especially when I have not seen it.”

Watch: Cat interrupts Liverpool’s draw with Tottenham at Anfield

Stephen Ireland’s fiancée wants him to play at Euro 2012

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9 Comments
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Feb 8th 2012, 12:23 AM

    Rooney and Neville….hardly angels on the pitch either!

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    Mute Aidan Gill
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    Feb 8th 2012, 9:33 AM

    If you are comparing Rooney and Neville to Suarez then its laughable. So Gerards 2 footed lunges, do you say that he is no angel either?
    I never realised that Rooney or Neville served 8 match bans!

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    Mute Alan Murphy
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    Feb 8th 2012, 11:50 AM

    Aidan, the 2 footed lunge Gerrard got sent off for came 10 minutes after Rafael did the same thing with no punishment. None holier than thou though

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    Mute Aidan Gill
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    Feb 8th 2012, 12:38 PM

    And Gerard lunged in on Naysmith and didn’t get booked for that either.
    Just making the point that Colm wishes to put Neville and Rooney into the same category as suarez then its only right to add Gerrard to that pot also.
    Not that any of them 3 served an 8 match ban so I can’t see any comparison.

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    Mute Alan Murphy
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    Feb 8th 2012, 12:45 PM

    Well were at nothing then, you cant compare bans because you cant compare cases, look at Rooney getting his reduced!

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    Mute Aidan Gill
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    Feb 8th 2012, 1:53 PM

    @Alan, we all know Rooneys is a farce. FA losing the plot with that and Terry and every attempt to win the Euros…. as if that is going to happen!

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    Mute Eamonn Fallon
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    Feb 8th 2012, 1:02 PM

    Hey Aidan, haven’t seen you on here for a while. Not since before the FA defeat anyway (sorry couldn’t resist). You know I must admit something which is very difficult as an LFC fan, I’m actually enjoying Gary Nevilles punditry on Sky. He is of course a rabid manc which is totally fine, but in fairness to him, I’ve watched him cover LFC and Man City games and his comments have been mostly fair, insightful and well articulated. No problem with old Gaz at all.
    Rooney on the other hand epitomises all that is horrible about the game, he’s up there with Tevez for me in terms of his narcissistic sense of entitlement and lack of loyalty ( just ask his long suffering wife or his pay masters at OT).
    As for the eight match ban; I agree that Suarez deserved to be punished and there is no doubt the eight games was unprecedented. I personally think the long running spat between the FA and Sepp Blatter was a factor in the severity of the ban. Even Roy’s successful career ending smash on Alfe Haaland’s leg resulted in just three games. It will be very interesting to see what happens with John Terry or anyone else for that matter who overstep the mark. If it sends a message, I guess the whole incident mayl have served some positive purpose.

    Looking forward to this weekend game at OT. I’ll be on here afterwards to give it or take it in equal measure depending on the result.

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    Mute Aidan Gill
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    Feb 8th 2012, 1:52 PM

    @Eamonn – I have been on here for sure, check back on the threads and you will find my comments on that match, I do leave it a day or 2 to ease back on the annoyance of losing or the joy of gloating!
    We had the ball for long periods but not point in having it up your jumper if u can’t score so I can’t argue with the result. Poor fefending cost us and Mr Evra has been at the root of it for a lot of times in the last few years.

    I can’t take Neville serious to be honest with you, I thought as a footballer, his attitude and quality was up there with the best, his prancing around in front of opposition fans and goatee though is too much.
    I think and I could be wrong that he is “doing his job”, bit like our government, they tell you what you want to hear, behind it all he probably wants to say how much he loves LFC!

    As with Rooney, Evra, Tevez, Suarez, Torres etc, they all taint the game, I have been following United for over 35 years and I am sickened at the way its going, commerialized BS, over paid pre-madonnas, moaning gits who complain if they play 2 games in the week. You can count on 1 hand the players who play and get on with it, the rest are either looking for more money or crying as someone tackled them and ruined their fake tan.

    Keane is nuts, everyone knows that, he is just an angry guy, a fine footballer who had no airs or graces and if someone fked with him, he fked them bad aka Haaland. Haaland wasn’t innocent in all that though.

    The FA have been a joke, Rooneys ban reduced is shameful, Terrys case pushed out until July is embarrassing, but listen, if it was on this month and he got banned, then we would only be listening to the English media using it as an excuse.
    Don’t worry they won’t give him 8 matches, he will get 3 at a max. I could be wrong but it won’t come as a shock.

    I won’t be on here until Monday, as I said its best to avoid the “fans” who only appear when their team win ;)

    I would say, enjoy the match, but I would be lying! ;D

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    Mute Eamonn Fallon
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    Feb 8th 2012, 2:53 PM

    good man Aidan. ditto regarding the game this weekend!!

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