Suarez bids to save Pool career

Luis Suarez last night made a grovelling public apology in a bid to rescue his Liverpool career after he bit opponent Branislav Ivanovic during a 2-2 draw against Chelsea and was labelled an embarrassment to the club by Anfield legend Graeme Souness.

The FA has already vowed to review video evidence of the incident, which was missed by referee Kevin Friend, and although the Uruguayan scored a 97th minute equaliser for his side to end the match a hero, he now faces the possibility of serious sanctions from both his club and the football authorities.

Only last year he served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, an incident he exacerbated by refusing to shake the Frenchman’s hand at Old Trafford some months later.

But this latest rush of blood is potentially even more explosive and may have even further-reaching consequences for a player who has now scored 30 goals this season but who is becoming a PR liability for a club that prides itself on its worldwide image.

There is certainly no doubt over his guilt after the striker chose Twitter to apologise to both his victim and his employers.

He said: “I’m sad for what happened this afternoon. I apologise [to] Ivanovic and all [the] football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I’m so sorry about it!”

He later apologised on the club website: “I am deeply sorry for my inexcusable behaviour earlier today during our match against Chelsea.

“I have issued an apology and have tried to contact Branislav Ivanovic to speak to him personally. I apologise also to my manager, playing colleagues and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for letting them down.”

The club’s managing director Ian Ayre cancelled a trip to Australia to deal with the fallout from the incident.

“Luis has made an unreserved apology for his actions today,” he said.

“His behaviour is not befitting of any player wearing a Liverpool shirt and Luis is aware that he has let himself and everyone associated with the club down. We will deal with the matter internally and await any action from the FA.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers refused to comment directly on the incident during his post-match interview, insisting the club would release a statement once video footage had been analysed and Liverpool’s owners consulted. But his indirect statements make worrying enough reading for Suarez, who has already been warned about his behaviour at Anfield.

Rodgers, who claimed Liverpool “is a club with incredible values and ethics” was unable to hold back any further when asked if the standards of the club would always come first in any decision over discipline.

“150%,” he said. “Players are always replaceable. It doesn’t matter how good they think they are. There are wonderful talents here, but we’ve shown over the years — if you lose a player and think you can’t replace him, the next one comes. The standards at this club have been made, and that’s why it’s the institution it is. The history of this club is of respect. Those standards will be maintained long after I’ve gone.”

Rodgers stopped short of criticising Suarez directly; but the tone of his words were clear.

“Listen, it’s not for me to make any rash comment or any predictions now,” he said. “This is a football club that historically club respects society and players and everyone. So it’s something I’ll review and we’ll review as a club. There’s certainly nobody bigger than this football club. People have to accept they do wrong and, if they do, they have to accept the consequences accordingly.”

Liverpool legend Souness does not have the same PR shackles on him as Rodgers, however, and the former Anfield midfielder and manager was far more direct in his criticism of a player who is becoming a liability despite his incredible talent.

“Embarrassing,” was his verdict. “He’s making it very difficult for him to stay at Liverpool. He’s putting the good name of this club in jeopardy. People will be talking about this for a long, long time and it’ll show Liverpool in a very bad light.

“This is not the first time he’s bitten someone in a football match. This puts him in the last chance saloon as a Liverpool player. He’s risking everything this great football club stands for. That’s what children do in a pram. He must be on the borderline of doing something mad crazy every time he’s out there. He looked to take a chunk out of him. That’s scary. Liverpool will suffer as these pictures will be beamed around the world.”

Although Suarez’s apology will be welcomed it’s clear they are dealing with a player who does not learn lessons easily. In fact Suarez’s entire career has been dogged by controversy. Even as a 15-year-old playing for Nacional’s youth team he was dismissed for head-butting a referee; and when he was caught drinking and partying beyond curfew his coach threatened he would never play again.

The question now is how much longer can Liverpool put up with him?