Jamie Carragher has been criticized because he does not condemn the alleged racial abuse, aimed at Antoine Semenyo in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The opening match of the season between Liverpool and Bournemouth stopped last night during the first half after Cherries Forward Semenyo reported that a supporter had racially abused him in the crowd in Anfield.
The alleged incident took place during the first half and Semenyo made referee Anthony Taylor aware of the comment, which led to the interruption. The game was stopped for a few minutes, while players, coaching staff and stadium officials had a discussion.
The Merseyside police later confirmed that an investigation into hate crimes started after a 47-year-old person had been thrown out of the ground.
After the half-time whistle, an anti-discrimination message was read to the crowd and teammates met Semenyo. The Premier League said it will investigate and has offered his full support to the player and both clubs'.
Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury had confirmed that the alleged incident was of a racial nature, but Carragher was criticized on social media for his first reaction in the Punditry stand, because it was not responded twice after the abuse was raised.
One X user wrote: 'Jamie Carragher ignored the Semenyo racial incident twice on comment when Peter Drury has brought it up is pretty terrible TBH.
“No word of conviction.”
Another made a similar tone, posts: “Jamie Carragher very vocally on the red card, but absolutely silent about the claims of racism of his own fans?”
A third also said: 'Jamie Carragher mentions every movement that Chelsea makes, but is silent about this Semenyo ding? That is very interesting. '
Carragher and his Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville discussed the incident during the break, the first to describe it as 'shocking'.
“You can see that everyone comes together, not entirely for sure what's going on,” said Carragher. 'All the campaigns we have all over the world, it is shocking. I mean, it is a shocking incident and rightly reported to the referee. '
The alleged abuse was also on the agenda after the game, after a powerful interview with Bournemouth captain Adam Smith.
Neville said that the incident was 'despicable', while Carragher asked the question of how clubs and the Premier League 'one idiot in the crowd'.
“Listen, I think there is a lot of good work that the country is being put up and down in terms of the football side of it,” Carragher added.
“I understand where Adam Smith comes from:” These things don't work “… but it is also an idiot in a crowd, how would you guard that one person in a crowd?
'Of course you just mentioned despicable. It makes it difficult if that of the Premier League, the Football League, the FA.
'I'm not sure what you can do more if the fan is banned for the season or is banned for life. In terms of racist abuse, we all know that it is something completely different than when I was on the terraces like a seven or eight year old child.
“It is very difficult for the clubs, the FA or the Premier League when it is an idiot who comes out with that nonsense.”
Semenyo spoke for the first time on Saturday morning about the shocking incident.
He wrote on X: 'Last night in Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of the words of one person, but because of how the entire football family stood together.
'To the @Livepoolfc players and fans who showed their true character, to the @premierleague officials who have treated it professionally -thanks to my @AFCBOURNEMOUSE who supported me at that time.
'Football showed his best side when it mattered the most.
'Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that is really important on the field. That is why I play – for such moments, for my teammates, for everyone who believes in what this wonderful game can be.
'The overwhelming support for support from the entire football world reminds me why I love this sport. We continue to move forward together. '