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Dalglish insists Suarez agree to Evra handshake

Comment: 0 February 9th, 2012 by: admin

LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish insisted that striker Luis Suarez, who was accused of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, must move on and engage in the pre-match handshake with the defender.

Speaking after the Premier League ordered that the ritualistic Respect Parade proceed during the clubs’ showdown at Old Trafford this weekend, Dalglish assured that the Uruguayan will not give Evra the snub on Saturday.

According to the Reds manager, he has sat down with Suarez and has encouraged the 24-year old to bury the hatchet.

“People are already speculating on the pre-match ceremony,” said Dalglish.  “But from Luis’ point of view, we have spoken to him and I know he will shake the hand of Patrice Evra and the other Manchester United players before the game.”

The pre-match handshake was mandated by the League, which decided to skip the ritual during the faceoff between Chelsea and QPR that pitted against each other the feuding John Terry and Anton Ferdinand.

The order to forego the handshake during that match was to avoid any breakouts and overflow of tension as John Terry also stood accused of throwing racist comments at Ferdinand.

Suarez, who along with Dalglish and his squad maintains his innocence, is expected to be the main object of boos and angry calls from thousands of Manchester United spectators in what will be his first return to Old Trafford since returning from his nine-game suspension.

The striker has already received unfriendly statements from some of Manchester United players, specifically Wayne Rooney who argued that Suarez should have been sent off for challenging Tottenham Hotspurs’ Scott Parker last Sunday.

“If ref sees that kick from Suarez and books him for it, it should be red,” tweeted Rooney.

His comments were met with hostile reception particularly Liverpool forward John Aldridge who slammed the striker in h is column in the Liverpool Echo.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard Wayne Rooney had tweeted that Suarez should have been sent off,” Aldridge wrote.  “Rooney needs to focus on sorting out his own club before he worries about anyone else.

“This is the player who blatantly booted an opponent up the backside playing for England last year and was deservedly sent off.  The fact the FA managed to get his ban reduced from three games to two was a complete joke.

“Rooney should count himself very lucky he’s even going to the Euros after what he did,” Aldridge continued.  “What Suarez did was very different and it was never a red card.”

The Telegraph reported that the star striker also had similar comments against Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.  The 25-year old reportedly stated his public support for referee Chris Foy who sent off Kompany after a two-footed tackle on the Red Devils’ Nani.

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