Liverpool 0 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur: Suarez makes return in Anfield stalemate

KENNY Dalglish has risked infuriating Manchester United ahead of Luis Suarez’s appearance at Old Trafford next weekend by again claiming the Liverpool striker should never have been banned for the comments he made to Patrice Evra in October.

Although the Reds were condemned for their initial reaction to the eight-match ban Suarez received for making racist comments to Evra, it appeared both sides had opted to calm the situation down during the build-up to last month’s FA Cup fourth-round tie. However, the uneasy truce was broken by Dalglish after Suarez had made his re-appearance as a substitute during last night’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham at Anfield.

“We don’t think he should ever have been away but we are delighted to get him back,” said the Liverpool manager. “He has not played since December, so it was a wee bit unfair to throw him straight in. He has had half an hour and that will have done him the world of good. It is better than anything we could have done at Melwood [training ground].”

If Dalglish’s comments have raised more than an eyebrow, they followed an equally inflammatory tweet from Wayne Rooney following a challenge by Suarez on Scott Parker that resulted in a yellow card and left the England midfielder doubled up in pain. “If the referee sees that kick from Suarez and books him for it, it should be red,” tweeted Rooney. The view was endorsed by former United team-mate Gary Neville in his role as a TV pundit. “He just never saw him,” said Dalglish. “I don’t have a view on what they have tweeted, especially when I have not seen it. If Neville or Wayne were standing there and asked me the question, I could answer them. I don’t think you can speak for either so unless they want to ask me the question, I will just plead the fifth amendment.”

Brad Friedel kept out a header from Steven Gerrard’s free-kick, condemning Liverpool to their eighth home draw in the league this season. Harry Redknapp failed to get to the game after a plane due to take him north was grounded because of a technical problem and he had to watch on TV as Gareth Bale had Spurs’ best chance of the game five minutes from time when he was put clean through. Pepe Reina did enough to block the Welsh winger’s initial shot and the danger was cleared.