Didier Drogba’s penalty miss in the AFCON final

Zambia celebrate winning AFCON 2012

“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.” – Kenny Dalglish.

Video of the interview Kenny Dalglish is referring to, with Sky Sports’ Geoff Shreeves, can be seen here.

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The Dalglish apology follows quickly on the heels of Luis Suarez who told the Liverpool website:

“I have spoken with the manager since the game at Old Trafford and I realise I got things wrong. I’ve not only let him 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.”

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And, Liverpool Managing Director Ian Ayre also apologised.

“We are extremely disappointed Luis Suarez did not shake hands with Patrice Evra before yesterday’s game. The player had told us beforehand that he would, but then chose not to do so. He was wrong to mislead us and wrong not to offer his hand to Patrice Evra. He has not only let himself down, but also Kenny Dalglish, his teammates and the Club. It has been made absolutely clear to Luis Suarez that his behaviour was not acceptable. Luis Suarez has now apologised for his actions which was the right thing to do. However, all of us have a duty to behave in a responsible manner and we hope that he now understands what is expected of anyone representing Liverpool Football Club.”

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Quick conclusion: Liverpool’s American owners have reacted quickly to the criticism in the American press today, including in the New York Times.

Is this a new dimension for football and the media. Perhaps Chelsea fans should voice their frustration in the Russian media?!

Away from the whole handshake fiasco at Old Trafford on Saturday, Jamie Redknapp stirred up tensions at halftime when the Sky pundit argued that Rio Ferdinand should have been red carded for a first half foul on Luis Suarez.

The incident related to a coming-together between Rio and Luis moments before the break.

Suarez nipped past United defender Jonny Evans, and was milometers from breaking clear on David De Gea’s goal. With the Uruguayan motoring, Rio slid in and got a toenail on the ball at the same time as upending Suarez.

Once grounded the Liverpool forward protested for both a free-kick and a booking. Neither was served on the Manchester Unite defender.

When reviewed by the talking-heads, Redknapp said “I think Suarez got a touch on it [the ball]. I think it was a foul. I do. I think it’s a sending off.”

That drew a instant response from both Manchester United fans/pundits Gary Neville and Darren Fletcher sitting alongside, with the Scot countering “It wasn’t a foul. It wasn’t a sending off.”

But just because he was outnumbered, did Redknapp have a point?

Watch the Ferdinand-Suarez incident here.

Related link: Jamie Redknapp on if his dad Harry will be England manager (Soccer AM)

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After a rocky season, Arsenal fans must be pinching themselves at Thierry Henry’s impact at the club since joining on a short term loan from New York Red Bulls.

Henry has made six appearances for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side over the past few weeks, playing a total of 108 minutes. In that time, incredibly, the French striker had had three shots on target and scored three goals.

This culminated in the goal yesterday to secure three points at Sunderland in what was likely his last ever game for Arsenal in the Premier League – although he did hint at a return this time next year in his post match interview.

After notching against Leeds in the FA Cup and Blackburn last weekend, the fairytale continued at the Stadium of Light as Henry notched a 92nd minute winner for Arsenal in a tricky away fixture to move his side back into fourth.

Above all, when Henry returns to New York, Arsenal will miss his swagger and confidence on the pitch borne from years of banging in the goals on Premier League grounds across England.

Nowhere was this more evident than when Henry appeared to tell Martin O’Neill to be quiet in the dying seconds of Arsenal’s win yesterday. (Or was he telling someone in the crowd to hush down?)

Related link: Arsenal starlet Ryo Miyaichi’s performance (Bolton 1 – Wigan 2).

Before we get to the questionable officiating during Osasuna’s surprise 3-2 win over Barcelona it should be pointed out that the Catalans will likely find themselves 10 points behind Real Madrid this evening, due to their own shortcomings.

Like many of their away performances in 2011/2012, Barcelona were far from their best on Saturday night and came a cropper despite the wide held assertion that there are only two good teams in La Liga.

Without Xavi and Iniesta, the Catalan giants are not the well oiled machine that has dominated European football in recent years and Real Madrid have been in excellent form over the last few months with Jose Mourinho overseeing his trademark second season dominance.

There were though three suspect offside decisions that have angered the Barcelona press and will set many a conspiracy theorist to investigate their defeat at Osasuna a little further.

1. At 1-0 down, Alexis Sanchez, one of Barcelona’s few players to impress in Pamplona, was set free in behind the Osasuna defence. The linesman flagged, but as the picture above proves, the Chilean winger looked to have been offside. Footage of this incident can be seen at the start of this video.

2. Instead of potentially drawing level at 1-1, Barcelona were 2-0 down at the break and question marks have been raised over Osasuna’s second goal. Raul Garcia was a key player in the win, scoring one and having a hand in the other two goals. For Dejan Lekic’s second goal it appears that Garcia was offside when he initially received the ball, before playing it to the right for the cross. Video of Osasuna’s second goal is here.

3. The final incident that really seemed to get Barcelona players and officials irate was Alexis Sanchez having what looked like a legal goal ruled out for offside with ten minutes remaining – which would have levelled things up at 3-3. It isn’t easy to see from footage of the goal whether a Barcelona player got a flick on and the fact referee José Luis Paradas Romero appeared to make the decision angered the likes of Xavi and Pep Guardiola on the Barca bench.

So much so, that Guardiola, after watching the incident again on a TV screen by the bench, remonstrated with the linesman on the touchline in a rare show of anger from the Barca boss.

Despite the continued protestations of Liverpool fans on this site and elsewhere, two voices have popped up in the aftermath of Saturday’s events in the never-ending Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra saga that the powers at be on the red side of Merseyside should really listen to.

On Match of the Day on Saturday night, there was extensive analysis of the “non-handshake” with many waiting with bated breath to hear what Alan Hansen, the former Liverpool legend and great mate of Kenny Dalglish, had to say.

Hansen pulled no punches and whilst he refrained from saying much about King Kenny, he did though heavily criticise the Uruguayan striker: “The rhetoric from both clubs before the game was restraint. Liverpool said there would be a handshake, so for Suarez to snub Evra is totally unacceptable. Liverpool have given Suarez total support through thick and thin and I think he’s let Kenny down, he’s let the club down and he’s let himself down.”

Match of the Day analysis of the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra non handshake can be seen here.

In a sign of how far reaching the unsavoury incidents on Saturday have gone, even the New York Times have called on Liverpool’s American owners to “get hold of Liverpool… and repair its global image fast.”

The “newspaper of record,” arguably the most famous in the world, adds: “It is time for John Henry and Tom Werner, leaders of the Fenway Group that controls Liverpool, to state clearly the direction the team will take on this issue.”

As you can tell from the title, there is a fair amount of brilliance to this golazo.

It comes from the Argentine second division on Friday night, in Independiente Rivadavia’s 3-1 win over Almirante Brown.

The goal scorer Christian Fabbiani is well known as a bit of a nutter and has tasted the high life at the likes of Lanus, CFR Cluj and even River Plate, on a loan spell.

Fabbiani, nicknamed “El Ogro” (“The Ogre”), for his dashing good looks (sarcasm) kicked off the second half with the scores locked at 1-1.

With his second touch, Fabbiani blasts the ball from the halfway line, and it flies past the shocked keeper with the forward then racing to the corner for a celebration that matches the sensational strike.

Christian Fabbiani’s brilliant golazo, straight from kick off, from the halfway line is on this video.

Perhaps due to his advancing years, David Beckham is now utilising modern technology to its fullest in order to keep wowing the public in his second spoof viral in less than 12 months.

Back in April, as he held a Pepsi can in his hand, Goldenballs was sensationally recorded knocking in three long rangers into trash cans on the beach with his trusty right foot.

Presumably Adidas were impressed with what they saw and over recent days have added a viral video of their own.

We join Becks on his own at a Foosball table, in what appears to be a garden in LA, as he attempts a a trick shot.

We surely don’t need to tell you how it pans out…

David Beckham’s sensational Foosball trick can be seen here.

Watch all the best skills, flicks and tricks on Showboat here.

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Watch Soccer AM’s quality 3rd eyes can here.