Racist fury: Liverpool star Suarez called me the N-word, claims Evra
Fury: Patrice Evra (right) pushes Luis Suarez away at Anfield
Manchester United star Patrice Evra has accused Liverpool striker Luis Suarez of racially abusing him during the 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Evra claimed Suarez had used the same racial insult ‘more than 10 times’ and the Liverpool player faces a Football Association investigation after referee Andre Marriner included Evra’s allegations about Suarez’s language in his match report.
Sources in France said the word Suarez is alleged to have used is ‘n*****’.
Marriner was seen talking to the players after a clash at a second-half corner and Evra was later booked for dissent.
Liverpool said Suarez categorically denied the claims, but France full-back Evra, who was born in the Senegal capital of Dakar, told French TV channel Canal Plus: ‘I was very upset. In 2011 you can’t say things like this. He knows what he said, the ref knows it, it will come out.
‘I won’t repeat what he said, but it was a racist word, and he said it more than ten times. He tried to wind me up. I won’t make a huge deal out of it, but it’s very upsetting and disappointing.’
Flashpoint: Referee Andre Marriner talks to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez (centre) and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during the clash at Anfield
Suarez is no stranger to controversy. The Uruguay striker earned notoriety at last year’s World Cup by handling a goalbound effort by Ghana in the final moments of the quarter-final, then celebrating when the resulting penalty was missed and Uruguay went through on a penalty shoot-out.
In November, he was suspended for seven games by the Dutch authorities for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Moroccan midfielder Otman Bakkal on the shoulder while playing for previous club Ajax.
There have also been accusations of Suarez diving but a conviction for racism would be far more serious and would overshadow the impressive start he has made in English football.
Close attention: Evra holds off Suarez
The £22.8million signing has already established himself as a Liverpool hero after producing a number of impressive performances worthy of the No 7 shirt which was worn with such distinction by his manager Kenny Dalglish.
A Liverpool spokesman said: ‘The first we knew about these allegations was 20 minutes after the final whistle when the manager was asked to go into the referee’s office and told about them.
‘The first thing we did, as you would expect, is ask the player and he has categorically denied using any language of that nature.’
An FA spokesman said: ‘The FA has been made aware this evening of an incident that is alleged to have occurred during the Liverpool versus Manchester United fixture at Anfield.
'Referee Andre Marriner was made aware of the allegation at the end of the fixture and has subsequently reported this to the FA. The FA will now be making enquiries into the matter.’
Caught red handed: Suarez handles Dominic Adiyah's goalbound header
