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Posts Tagged ‘kenny-dalglish’

• Manchester United manager shocked by recent events
• Dalglish claims Luis Suárez should never have been banned

Sir Alex Ferguson has called for the authorities to crack down hard on racism in football.

The Manchester United manager has been close to the centre of one such controversy – his defender Patrice Evra was racially abused by Liverpool’s Luis Suárez, who has just completed the eight-match suspension imposed by the Football Association as punishment.

Suárez is set to come face to face with Evra again at Old Trafford on Saturday and the Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, has already stoked the fires ahead of the match by saying he does not believe the Uruguayan should have been banned.

Other incidents have seen several fans arrested after allegations they racially abused players, while the Chelsea defender John Terry is to stand trial in July to deny a charge that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand, brother of United’s Rio Ferdinand.

Ferguson has been shocked by the re-emergence of the problem and said a tough line is needed. He told CNN: “I don’t understand at all where it’s coming from.

“This is a moment where we have to take stock and we should do something about it if it’s surfacing again, and be really hard and firm on any form or shape of racism.

“There have been a couple of examples recently which is not good. In 2012, you can’t believe it. It was obvious maybe 20 years ago and the improvements have been for everyone to see.

“I have had some fantastic black players, absolutely magnificent black players, and with every one of them I have enjoyed my working relationship with them.”

Dalglish risked reigniting a row with United with his comments about Suárez after the striker came off the bench during the 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

“We don’t think he should ever have been away but we are delighted to get him back,” said the Scot.

United need to win against Liverpool to keep them in touch with Manchester City and Ferguson believes the point his side achieved at Chelsea, coming back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3, could prove crucial in the title race.

Ferguson admitted his mind was turning to “damage limitation” after Chelsea moved into a 3-0 lead after half-time at Stamford Bridge.

He said: “It was a funny thing, in the first half we dominated it and then came the own goal and at half-time we were saying ‘we are going to win this match as we are the better team’.

“But after losing two goals in a few minutes after half-time at that moment we were thinking damage limitation, get home and start again.

“But in true fashion in terms of the character and history of the football club they never gave in and kept going and deserved a point and that point may be one that does it for us – you never know.”

Manchester UnitedSir Alex FergusonKenny DalglishLiverpoolPremier League 2011-12Premier League
guardian.co.uk

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7.27pm: Today’s teams are in!
Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Adam, Spearing, Kuyt, Gerrard, Bellamy, Carroll. Subs: Doni, Aurelio, Suárez, Henderson, Coates, Downing, Carragher.
Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Parker, Livermore, Kranjcar, Modric, Bale, Adebayor. Subs: Cudicini, Saha, Rose, Nelsen, Khumalo, Luongo, Lancaster.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).

7.08pm: Early team news: Steven Gerrard starts for Liverpool but Luis Suárez is only on the bench.

7.03pm: News: the fog that threatened to force a postponement just a few minutes ago has lifted. But what hasn’t lifted, sadly, is Harry Redknapp’s flight from London, grounded because of “technical difficulties”.

Simon will be here from about 7.30, so until then why not read this preview?

Kenny Dalglish says Luis Suárez is keen to play against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night following his eight-match suspension for racially abusing Patrice Evra but the manager is not sure whether to throw him in at the deep end.

The Liverpool manager said of Suárez, who has not played since the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day: “He’ll want to play, won’t he? There is a lot to be taken into consideration – the way the other boys have played without him and the fact he has not played for a month.

“After five or six weeks out, it’s not automatic someone will come straight back into the team. It depends on the individual, it depends on our needs; not just who we have available but who we are playing against.”

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Premier League 2011-12LiverpoolTottenham HotspurPremier LeagueSimon Burnton
guardian.co.uk

• Kenny Dalglish may not start striker against Spurs
• ‘It’s not automatic [he] will come straight into the team’

Kenny Dalglish says Luis Suárez is keen to play against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night following his eight-match suspension for racially abusing Patrice Evra but the manager is not sure whether to throw him in at the deep end.

The Liverpool manager said of Suárez, who has not played since the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day: “He’ll want to play, won’t he? There is a lot to be taken into consideration – the way the other boys have played without him and the fact he has not played for a month.

“After five or six weeks out, it’s not automatic someone will come straight back into the team. It depends on the individual, it depends on our needs; not just who we have available but who we are playing against.”

Suárez has always been good at beginnings; almost exactly a year ago he scored at Anfield 16 minutes into his Liverpool debut. It was his first domestic club game since a seven-match suspension for biting PSV