No handshake, plenty of anger

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Jon Super / the associated press Manchester United�s Patrice Evra (right) unsuccessfully tries to shake hands with Liverpool�s Luis Suarez (left) before their match at Old Trafford Stadium. (CP)

LONDON -- A ball had yet to be kicked in Saturday's tension-filled match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford when the fierce rivalry between English football's two most successful teams plumbed new depths.

And it was no surprise that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and United defender Patrice Evra were at the centre of the storm.

Suarez's decision to shun a pre-match handshake with Evra, the player he was found guilty of repeatedly racially abusing during a Premier League match in October, inflamed tensions that spilled over into the dressing rooms and required the intervention of police on two occasions.

The most high-profile match in the English game, which United won 2-1 to go top of the standings overnight, was suddenly overshadowed.

"I couldn't believe it," United manager Alex Ferguson said of Suarez. "He is a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club. He shouldn't be able to play for Liverpool again."

It was the first time Suarez and Evra had come face to face since the Uruguay striker was banned for eight matches for calling Evra "negro" several times at the match at Anfield on Oct. 15.

Ferguson had said the prospect of a pre-match handshake would not be an issue. He was wrong.

As the players crossed for the traditional ritual before kickoff, Suarez drew his hand away from Evra, infuriating the United captain and adding to an already hostile atmosphere.

Evra tried to pull back the arm of Suarez as the Uruguayan moved to shake hands with goalkeeper David De Gea, who was next in the United line. Suarez refused to turn back.

Evra threw up his left arm in disgust, while United teammates Rio Ferdinand and Danny Welbeck, both black like Evra, pointedly refused to shake Suarez's hand moments later.

"After seeing what happened, I decided not to shake his hand... I lost all respect for the guy," Ferdinand told United's in-house television station MUTV. "It could have been resolved between the two players today. After this, it's not great."

Evra was spoken to by referee Phil Dowd but was reported to have chased after Suarez as the players walked down the tunnel at halftime. According to Sky Sports, a melee erupted outside the dressing rooms, forcing stewards and police to intervene.

After the match, an emotional Evra danced in delight in front of the United fans, patted the badge on his jersey to whip up the crowd and tellingly ran past Suarez, who was trudging off the pitch dejectedly.

Liverpool players Jose Reina and Martin Skrtel rushed over to protest Evra's actions. Stewards and police had to intervene a second time.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish defended Suarez, as he has since the saga erupted four months ago.

"I think you are bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for whatever happened today," an angry Dalglish told a television interviewer.

Dalglish hasn't yet reacted to Ferguson's comments.

Suarez was booed by United fans whenever he touched the ball, just as Evra was jeered by Liverpool supporters in the FA Cup fourth-round match between the sides two weeks ago.

"For a club with their history, I'd get rid of him, I really would," Ferguson told MUTV. "Liverpool Football Club have a player banned for eight matches and they've tried to blame Patrice Evra. It's him they should be blaming. He could have cost them a European place."

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 12, 2012 B12