Podcast
The atmosphere turns sour on Merseyside
With Liverpool embroiled in racism controversies and frustrated Everton fans confronting owner Bill Kenwright over the club’s financial struggles, Merseyside has appeared a region under dark clouds of late. Here, the Life’s A Pitch team assesses the atmosphere surrounding both clubs and looks at whether the future has more reason for optimism.
“It was always a risk there could be an isolated incident like this so soon after the [Luis] Suarez controversy,” explains the Guardian’s Dominic Fifield after Oldham’s Tom Adeyemi was allegedly abused by a Liverpool fan during the FA Cup clash. “It is freakish, and you look at Liverpool and their supporters, certainly on the Kop, and you think they’re not a club where you would expect that type of thing to happen. It’s tragic really that it has happened.”
Of Everton’s problems, the Daily Telegraph’s Jason Burt believes Kenwright’s unrealistic expectations of potential new owners has played a part in the club becoming “stagnated”. He needs to find some buyers to allow Everton to move forward, says Jason. “In some ways he’s become part of the problem, because it almost seems like his desire to get the right owner, or to get the right structure in place, or the right amount of money has prevented them from moving forward. That might be a harsh assessment, and I understand why it’s happened, but I think sometimes he needs to think more about the bigger picture and where the club is developing.”
For Liverpool fans, the club’s Carling Cup semi-final against Man City gives them an immediate opportunity to look forward, says the Daily Mirror’s John Cross. “I do think it’s a golden opportunity, despite being without Suarez, to and reach a Wembley final and lift a trophy.”
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Competition: Win a Liverpool shirt signed by Steven Gerrard
Video: “Liverpool have wriggled on the hook all the way through”
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Watch Liverpool and Everton live on BT Vision:
Bolton v Liverpool, live 4:30pm, 21 January, ESPN
Everton v Man City, live 7:30pm, 1 February, Sky Sports 2
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