Fergie: Liverpool must move on from Suarez race row
Published 23:00 23/12/11 By David McDonnell and David Maddock
Sir Alex Ferguson has advised Liverpool to accept Luis Suarez’s ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.
Liverpool players – and boss Kenny Dalglish – provoked anger by wearing T-shirts in support of Suarez before their game at Wigan after an independent FA commission handed the Uruguay striker an eight-game suspension.
But Manchester United boss Ferguson pointed to Evra’s run-in with the FA in 2008 as how to take a suspension on the chin. “Patrice got a four-match ban for an incident at Chelsea involving a groundsman which we thought was well over the top for a trivial incident.
“And we had to wait two weeks for the evidence to come through.
“But it happened and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Ferguson also insisted the FA’s verdict on Suarez was correct and again backed Evra.
“Our support of Patrice was obvious right from the word go, and that’s still the same,” he said.
Liverpool had questioned the United defender’s credibility in a statement defending Suarez and attacking the ban.
Fergie added: “The matter is over and I think we’re satisfied they’ve found the right decision.”
Dalglish yesterday admitted he feared Suarez was in for a rough ride from rival fans over Christmas.
The forward was jeered each time he touched the ball at Wigan and targeted with abuse.
The Kop boss was also unhappy Suarez had been found guilty but the commission’s findings have yet to be published.
He believed they should have been made public straight away but the reasons for the ruling may not be released until next week. Liverpool will then have 14 days in which to appeal.
Dalglish was clearly wary yesterday of criticising the FA further after recent outbursts.
He added: “We came out with what we did from the knowledge we had and based the statement on that.
“Equally, I think if everybody waited until the statement is shown on the FA website, you will have a better idea about why they came to their reasoning. You can have your opinion then.
“Where they have to be more supportive is the reaction from people – and then antagonism of the crowds – towards Luis. That is the great problem.
“It’s dangerous waters we’re getting into if the focus is purely on how they operate their system. I don’t know how it works – they run the game, we don’t.”
Liverpool believe Suarez will be cleared of any direct accusation of being a racist, but until the judgement is delivered, they cannot be sure.
“It’s the FA who have set the rules, not us, but I wouldn’t think it is helpful to anybody that it’s done before they’ve seen the written documents.”
While Dalglish was in more conciliatory mood, he insisted he had no regrets about Liverpool’s response.
“The club have issued a statement and the players have made theirs, verbally and physically, and I think that is the least he (Luis) deserves.”
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