Nine years on, Liverpool issue apology to Evra over Suárez racial abuse
The former Manchester United player revealed that he was "touched" by Liverpool's official apology nine years after the incident.
Serious discussions on racism have become commonplace in the Sky Sports punditry studio of late, with former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra recently recalling an incident in which he was racially abused by then-Liverpool striker Luis Suárez during a game in 2011.
Suárez was heavily sanctioned with an eight-game ban, prompting his Reds team mates, including Jamie Carragher, to wear t-shirts to show their support for the Uruguayan striker.
In October, in a conversation with fellow pundit Carragher, Evra revealed that he had been hurt by the Liverpool players’ stance. Carragher, then vice-captain, was quick to offer an apology and admitted he and has team mates were wrong in their actions.
"There’s no doubt we made a massive mistake that was obvious," Carragher said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football programme in October.
Evra “touched” by Liverpool apology
The heartfelt conversation between the pair also prompted Liverpool FC to issue an official apology to Evra for the first time, nine years after the incident, as the former player himself revealed on Sky Sports ahead of the Liverpool-Man United game on Sunday.
"I received a personal letter from Peter Moore and I was really touched by it. He told me he hoped it wasn't too late as the incident happened nine years ago,” Evra said.
"He got in contact about three days after the show and it was like thank you very much this letter is really touching my heart but I was really disappointed for such a long time about a big club like Liverpool supporting a cause like that.
"Now I can see real honest people working for this club and I now have even more respect for Liverpool because they are fighting against a problem for the human race.
"I was really pleased but I said 'I still hope you don't win the league!' three months ago. It was really important for me and even though we have a big rivalry between us but it showed Liverpool is a top class club."