Luis Suarez Drags Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish Down as United Claims Higher Ground

Liverpool fans can protest all they like in defence of Luis Suarez. They can swarm message boards and blanket-bomb social media. They can even cling to their conspiracy theories.

You can only admire their loyalty, but in this case, loyalty walks a moral tightrope.

And the wire snapped in front of 75,000 people on Saturday, as Liverpool suffered collateral losses far more damaging than their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

There's no doubting Suarez shunned Patrice Evra's handshake at Old Trafford. And there's no doubting he was emphatically wrong to do so.

There presented an opportunity not just to achieve a degree of closure on the racism affair, but to set a more dignified tone for both the English game and the potentially volatile afternoon ahead.

But Suarez cast it aside like a petulant child, focused solely on indulging his own selfish agenda.

He gave no thought for the reputation of his teammates, his manager or the fans he knew would stand by him regardless. And he gave no thought for the repercussions his actions might cause in the stands or on the streets after the game.

"He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club, that certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again," Sir Alex Ferguson told interviewers after the game.

"The history that club's got and he does that and in a situation like today could have caused a riot."

Ferguson also admitted Evra was wrong to celebrate in front of Suarez at the final whistle, displaying a willingness to criticise his own that would not be found in his opposite number.

Kenny Dalglish has been unswerving in his support for Suarez throughout. He joined Liverpool players in their ill-advised move to wear pro-Suarez t-shirts, and he maintains the FA was wrong to ban him.

After Saturday's match, the Liverpool manager said he hadn't seen the handshake, and we've no reason to doubt him. But as the questions continued, his eyes widened, and Dalglish's emotions for once got the better of him.

It was as if four months of Suarez-related frustrations were being poured out on live television.

"I think you're very severe and bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for anything that happened here today," he told Sky Sports. "Both sets of fans behaved really well, there was banter between each other, no problem."

"You know something else, when we had the FA Cup tie, because there wasn't a 24-hour news channel in the build-up to the game, nothing like this happened."

Dalglish was referring to a tunnel bust-up between opposing players at halftime on Saturday, which reportedly had to be broken up by police. It was the closest we came to a truly unsavory incident.

On the pitch, tackles flew in, and both Suarez and Evra were clearly fired up. Things might have gotten uglier had Rio Ferdinand not got in Evra's way early on, with Suarez in his sights.

But thankfully, a combination of experienced heads around them and a lack of opportunity to take the other out kept a lid on the steaming pot of emotions.

The game itself was won far more comfortably by United than the scoreline suggests, with Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes imparting liberal doses of swagger and all 11 of Ferguson's starters putting in impressive shifts.

So impressive, in fact, that Ferguson took the rare decision of not making a single substitution in the match. Scholes and fellow old-timer Ryan Giggs both put in the full 90.

If there was one criticism, it was that Rooney's clinical double early in the second half didn't lead to more. United should have killed Liverpool off when they had the chance, and instead, they found themselves holding on after Suarez—who else?—stabbed home to give Dalglish's team hope.

The result put United back on top of the Premier League and left Liverpool looking up at them from the depressing depths of seventh.

Far more depressing for Liverpool fans is the fact the controversy which has embroiled their team since October has been given fresh impetus.

As Gary Neville pointed out after the game, Suarez not only let himself down, he let Liverpool down, and he let Dalglish down.

It seems the man who would be Liverpool's next great No. 7 betrayed the original when he needed him most.

***

On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool finally accepted some responsibility when they released separate apologies from Suarez, Dalglish and managing director Ian Ayre for what happened at Old Trafford. Here's what Suarez had to say:

"

I have not only let him [Dalglish] down but also the club and what it stands for and I'm sorry. I made a mistake and I regret what happened.

I should have shaken Patrice Evra's hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions.

I would like to put this whole issue behind me and concentrate on playing football.

"

Dalglish was equally contrite:

"

Ian Ayre has made the Club's position absolutely clear and it is right that Luis Suarez has now apologised for what happened at Old Trafford.

To be honest, I was shocked to hear that the player had not shaken hands having been told earlier in the week that he would do. 

But as Ian said earlier, all of us have a responsibility to represent this Club in a fit and proper manner and that applies equally to me as Liverpool manager.  

When I went on TV after yesterday's game I hadn't seen what had happened, but I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I'd like to apologise for that.

"

Finally, some common sense has prevailed. It's just a pity it took the outrage of an entire nation to draw it out.