Ducky's Note: 'Neutral' Arsenal fan Swaroop is back after a long hiatus (and with some spare time from his proper-journalism course at Newcastle) to look at whether a handshake is such a big deal and while we condemn the racism, we shouldn't stoke the fire by blowing up every little act remotely related to it.

This should prove beyond a shadow Luis Suarez meant what he said to Patrice Evra. Every racist word. This does not mean he is a paid member of the KKK. He's just a prick with a very low threshold for frustration. Many fans in some blind reflexive way believed Suarez was the victim of a smear job and their misguided support probably emboldened him today.

By Chris Wright

Sir Alex Ferguson didn't hold back in his assessment of Luis Suarez in his post-match interview with the BBC:

"Suarez is a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club. He should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again. He could have caused a riot.

Police were forced to step in and separate both Manchester United and Liverpool players at half-time after Patrice Evra confronted Luis Suarez in the tunnel. Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand prior to kick-off as tension between the pair continue to simmer in the wake of Suarez's eight-match ban after racially abusing the French defender.

The tension between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra continued after Suarez refused to shake the hand of Evra prior to Manchester United's league clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford The pair met for the first time since the race row at Anfield which led to Luis Suarez being given an eight match ban and with [.

The tension between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra continued after Suarez refused to shake the hand of Evra prior to Manchester United's league clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford The pair met for the first time since the race row at Anfield which led to Luis Suarez being given an eight match ban and with [.

It may not have been a man of the match-calibre performance, as those honours would have to have gone to one of the defenders—and probably either Glen Johnson or Martin Skrtel. And he likely didn't even have as good a game as his previous two against Wolverhampton and Manchester United. Regardless of that, however, after nearly a full calendar year filled almost entirely by futility as he struggled first with fitness and then with fitting in, it's understandable that on the back of three strong showings on the bounce people would be eager to look for any upside they can find in the 2012 edition of Andy Carroll.

by Adam Bate

What a return it has been for Kenny Dalglish. Only Cardiff City now stand in the way of Liverpool lifting the Carling Cup at Wembley later this month and thus securing the club's first trophy in six years. King Kenny has brought the buzz back to the city. And thankfully, whatever the dramas off the field, everyone at Anfield appears to be pulling in the same direction once again.

Luis Suarez's return to action against Spurs last night was not enough to inspire Liverpool to victory, but once again, the Uruguayan sparked a major talking point. This time, Suarez kicked Scott Parker when trying to get the ball, and received a yellow card for his trouble. Any fair-minded person can see that it was clearly accidental, but as all Liverpool fans know, Manchester United thug

What is it with unusual pitch invaders on Merseyside lately? Last week, a protestor cuffed himself to the posts at Goodison Park to register his disgust with a budget airlines, and tonight a cat found its way onto the pitch during Tottenham's bout with Liverpool at Anfield.

Brad Friedel was visibly freaked out by the impromptu appearance of the misplaced moggy — perhaps he thought Harry Redknapp had sent one of his pets in his absence from the match — and Liverpool fans responded with the inventive chant "a cat, a cat, a cat, a cat, cat.

If there is one thing I've noticed about the Liverpool fan forums, it's that our level of performance and league position in relation to them is directly correlated to how much they bitch and moan about Spurs and how many posts riddled with bile spewing hatred of us there are.
As you can imagine, this is currently a high proportion.

Dietman Hamann will forever be remembered and revered by Liverpool fans for his impact in the Champions League final in 2005, but as the former German International revealed recently, he went into that match thinking it was his last game for the club, and he was even more disappointed to discover that he wasn't even in the starting line-up.

Last month, I conducted a survey on this site asking if Liverpool fans would be happy if the club signed Carlos Tevez, and over 63% of fans who took part in the poll voted yes. Liverpool legend Steve Nicol was asked yesterday if he would like to see Tevez at Anfield, and he gave a completely different answer.

Last month, I conducted a survey on this site asking if Liverpool fans would be happy if the club signed Carlos Tevez. Given the Argentine's behaviour at Man City recently over the last few months, and the fact he's a former Manchester United player (!), the results were very surprising indeed.

It was concerning to read that Liverpool were planning to offer Andy Carroll in a direct swap deal with Carlos Tevez at the weekend.

At £35 million it is quite clear as far as the best bookmakers are concerned that the former Newcastle forward has not lived up to what might have been expected of him at Anfield in the year he has been with the club, but it is important to remember that he is still young.

"We're not Racist" - Twists of the Scouse-Manc debate
Anyone tiring of the Suarez racism saga? Me too, but I'm breaking radio silence to offer a few thoughts, just as Suarez serves the final week of his ban and in light of yesterday's fiercely fought battle between Liverpool and Manchester United - the second epic Soucse-Manc cup battle at Anfield this week.

Goals from Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool get revenge for last season's FA Cup at Old Trafford as they beat Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield. Elsewhere Chelsea beat QPR and Newcastle were shocked by Brighton.

While the clash at Anfield got all the headlines this week, the biggest story took place on the coast as Brighton boss Gus Poyet once again haunted Newcastle in the FA Cup.

Goals from Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool get revenge for last season's FA Cup at Old Trafford as they beat Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield. Elsewhere Chelsea beat QPR and Newcastle were shocked by Brighton.

While the clash at Anfield got all the headlines this week, the biggest story took place on the coast as Brighton boss Gus Poyet once again haunted Newcastle in the FA Cup.

Patrice Evra will be on the receiving end of some abuse today but I'd like to think it won't be racist abuse. Maybe I'm naive and I'm probably giving the vermin too much credit but I genuinely hope that Liverpool fans don't turn their dislike of Evra, having been lead to believe that he's a liar by the ridiculous propaganda from their club, in to something far more sinister.

It has certainly been an eventful week for Liverpool FC and it is far from over just yet as the club prepares for one of the biggest games of its season when Manchester United takes the pitch at Anfield in the FA Cup tomorrow afternoon.

On the pitch, Liverpool have already taken care of another Manchester team earlier in the week, knocking league leaders City out of the Carling Cup 3-2 on aggregate to progress to the final at Wembley.

With tomorrow's massive FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Manchester United fast approaching what a perfect time to hear from a life-long Liverpool FC fan. This video features Dave Kirby with his thoughts of what the FA Cup means to Liverpool Fans, his past FA Cup memories and his references to the great man Bill Shankly.

With tomorrow's massive FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Manchester United fast approaching what a perfect time to hear from a life-long Liverpool FC fan. This video features Dave Kirby with his thoughts of what the FA Cup means to Liverpool Fans, his past FA Cup memories and his references to the great man Bill Shankly.

Liverpool Whilst success in the Carling Cup provided KK with a degree of respite after last week's shambles at the Reebok Stadium, will (or perhaps more pertinently should) Liverpool fans be happy with the poorest domestic trophy and a top four finish? One suspects so, but with Liverpool six points of the Promised Land of [.

Ahead of the it being confirmed that Luis Suarez had racially abused Patrice Evra, Kenny Dalglish claimed that the guilty party should be punished. That would mean if Evra couldn't prove he was innocent, he should be punished for making the accusation.

Liverpool players then warmed up in t-shirts in support of Suarez and once Suarez was found guilty, showed no remorse.

There should be quite a few transfers in the Premier League over the next week, and Liverpool fans will be hoping to see some new blood at Anfield, especially up front. Things are quiet at the moment, but last week, Bruce Grobbelaar revealed that Liverpool were tracking a Holland-based Uruguayan striker.

Angry Liverpool fans have targeted Manchester United defender Patrice Evra as the focal point for their wrath as Liverpool and Manchester United clash in the FA Cup 4th Round. Evra was involved in an altercation with Liverpool striker Luis Suarez when the two sides met in the League clash in September with Suarez having been [.

While German giants Bayern Munich are busy calming down fans who are angered that the club's commitment to unveil a major new signing today was simply a promotion for a new app, Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre is making sure that the Kop's transfer expectations remain low, to begin with.

English media has heavily linked Liverpool with the likes of Real Madrid's Esteban Granero, Groningen's David Texeira, Rangers' Nikica Jelavic, and Udinese's Mauricio Isla.

It's the 60th minute at Wembley. Glorious sunshine stream down on the immaculate playing surface. Kenny Dalglish watches on from the sidelines as the ever-reliable John Aldridge steps up take a penalty...I don't even need to finish the sentence because all Liverpool fans know exactly what game I'm talking about.

Get In Bellers!...Liverpool booked their place in the League Cup final at Wembley on Wednesday night after beating Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate. It was a fantastic tie for the neutral as City took the lead twice at a boisterous Anfield but the home side were the better team over the two legs and Craig Bellamy's 73rd minute goal made sure the Reds would be fighting for some silverware next month.

Liverpool overcame Manchester City to reach the Carling Cup Final their first final at Wembley since the 1996 FA Cup Final and the club have already chosen what suit they will be wearing. The Reds last played at the home of English football in 1996 when they took on mortal enemies Manchester United in the [.

Gareth Barry has acknowledged that Liverpool fans remain among the most influential supporters in English football but the Manchester City playmaker has also criticized them for verbally abusing him a few years ago.

Barry was touted as a replacement for Xabi Alonso and while the England international was even on the verge of signing for Rafa Benitez, he moved away from the protracted transfer proposition due to the impatience of Reds faithful.

In a case of the means justifying the end, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish employed stultifyingly negative tactics to triumph against Manchester City in the Carling Cup two weeks ago. This ruined the game as a spectacle, and Liverpool fans will be hoping for a more proactive, attacking approach in the second leg tomorrow.

For the first time since he returned to Anfield a year ago, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is under genuine pressure. After one win in the last six premier league games, the club is languishing in seventh place, and the level of performance has arguably plummeted to a concerning low. The heat is most definitely on, and some Liverpool fans are even calling for Dalglish's head.

Will Gerrard get on the score sheet again Wednesday night?...Manchester City travel to Anfield on Wednesday night for the second leg of the Carling Cup tie between the two sides. With Liverpool holding the slight advantage, the game is perfectly poised for an exciting clash and the winner is off to Wembley.

After the depressing defeat to relegation-threatened Bolton, Liverpool fans are feeling pretty disillusion at the moment, and with a run of important season-defining games coming up, things clearly need to improve sooner rather than later. Some fans have even turned on Kenny Dalglish, but former Liverpool striker David Johnson has called for fans to keep the faith in the manager.

The prevailing view amongst Liverpool fans seems to be that the defeat against Bolton yesterday could've been avoided if Lucas Leiva was playing. I don't personally subscribe to that viewpoint; for me, shambolic defending was the problem, and that still would've happened even if Lucas had played.

That's how we all feel mate...If i walked into a club, thinking and acting like i was better than everybody else, i'd most probably, within an hour and a half or so, get battered. Which is exactly what happened to Liverpool on Saturday. They walked into Bolton's club, acting like they were better than them, like the three points were theirs before they'd kicked a ball and then, they were battered.

The fiery Scot, seemingly on the edge of his nerves at the best of times, appeared furious at the end of the Bolton vs Liverpool clash. Liverpool fans ought to see hope in this anger, after all, a weary look of resignation would have been the far worse sight at the final whistle. Kenny Dalglish, one suspects, knows that this Liverpool squad is underperforming and is struggling to meet expectations.

Newcastle's hopes of taking advantage of Chelsea's draw at Norwich were stopped by a five-goal second-half blitz from Fulham as they lost 5-2 at Fulham.

Fulham were poor in the first-hald and it was no surprise that Newcastle scored first thanks to a Danny Guthrie thunderbolt from outside the area.

With five starting defenders and a further three on the bench, many Liverpool fans were surprised by the negative approach against Stoke at Anfield yesterday. However, according to Kenny Dalglish, the team he put out was 'dictated' to him by the circumstances of the day. Speaking after the game, Kenny seemed to be aware of the criticism of his team selection, and provided the following