Last Friday saw the first FA Cup fixture of 2012 being played out between Liverpool and Oldham Athletic at Anfield. The home team understandably the favourites of the tie, expected to ease past their League One counterparts, and that they did, eventually. It was a match where the football and achievements of the game itself were completely overshadowed by one petty incident involving a 20-year-old fan and a 20-year-old player.
The Reds went into the fixture with the news of Luis Suarez being banned for 8 games, for allegedly racially abusing Patrice Evra, still fresh on their minds. Three days before the third round cup tie, Liverpool played Manchester City away in the Premier League, losing 3-0. The Anfield outfit had decided not to appeal against Suarez’s ban, choosing to put the case to bed and to move on. This decision meant the ban would be carried out forthwith and the Uruguayan would return to football in February after missing 8 fixtures. The choice not to appeal was probably the correct one and the timing was tactically thought out by the Liverpool hierarchy, with Suarez returning to action in time for crunch games against Tottenham and Manchester United in the League.
Even though the FA stated that Suarez, who is from Uruguay, didn’t use the Uruguayan word ‘Negro’ as a deliberate form of racism towards Evra in their report, there is still an overwhelming amount of bad press given to Liverpool’s number seven. It is the bad press from journalists that is whipping up a frenzy of Suarez and Liverpool hating football fans and, in turn, the churnalism regarding the situation is also whipping Liverpool fans up to support their man. A Liverpool fan wearing a Suarez t-shirt to show support to one of their players, is now cheaply and wrongly accused of ‘supporting a racist’, or even more critically, being a racist.
“The FA made clear that it did not contend that Mr Suarez acted as he did because he is a racist. Mr Evra said in his evidence that he did not think Mr Suarez is a racist. Mr Suarez said in evidence that he will not use the word ‘negro’ on a football pitch in England in the future, and we believe that is his genuine and firm intention.”
Throughout the ground on Friday night, there were visible amounts of Suarez t-shirts being worn by passionate Liverpool supporters. The now famous ‘Just can’t get enough’ Suarez song was a favourite for the Kopites to belt out and the song became even more heartfelt in the second half when Oldham player Tom Adeyemi had an altercation with a fan in the Kop. It was clear from the moment the player kicked up a fuss what the problem might have been, and in the current sensitive subject of racism, Adeyemi was not going to let it rest.
Having seen the Oldham player walk over to the Kop and seemingly argue with a fan and then being held back by his own players and Liverpool players, Anfield erupted with a chorus of “I just can’t seem to get enough Suarez”, almost ironically trying to deflect the incident away. Rumours and statements have since been released, saying that the 20-year-old fan used the words ‘ You Manc B**tard’ and not ‘Black’ towards the Oldham player, who is adjudged to have misheard amongst the boisterous atmosphere. This was at a point in the game when Oldham had been overturned and didn’t look like getting back into it, their cup dreams fading away fast. With such an ambience around Anfield and the game not going his way, it is little surprise that the inexperienced and youthful Adeyemi reacted the way he did, as the adrenaline took over.
This sort of incident and more unnecessary media attention was hardly what Kenny Dalglish or Liverpool needed, as the club try and clear their star striker’s name from racism. The incident also seemed to completely deflect all attention away from a game of football where Craig Bellamy flourished, Steven Gerrard scored a penalty and Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing both scored after coming on as substitutes.
Dalglish played down his team’s 5-1 home victory, saying the score-line flattered them. Liverpool went a goal down to a Robbie Simpson wonder striker from 30-yards, but the home side were soon level through Bellamy’s deflected effort. Captain Fantastic, Steven Gerrard, then fired home from the spot bang on half time to put the Reds 2-1 up at the break.
Liverpool came out for the second half having been given a kick up the backsides from Dalglish and their domination finally paid off when Jonjo Shelvey netted his maiden goal for the Reds. After that, Oldham, who had made a good account of themselves in the first half, looked a beaten team and Liverpool turned up the pressure. Carroll had been on the pitch a matter of minutes and when John Flanagan found him in space outside the area, the man that needed a goal more than anyone on that pitch, almost broke the net with a thumping effort.
Downing’s last minute goal was his first in Liverpool colours and had he not have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting his ex-girlfriend a few days ago, the goal might have given him the confidence boost he well needed. Liverpool learnt from the FA Cup Fourth Round draw that they will be playing none other than Manchester United, in what will be a fiercely contested game at Anfield. Now, it seems, that Liverpool unwittingly find themselves surrounded by yet more controversial allegations, with their next match being away, again, to Manchester City.
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