Footage has emerged of Everton fans hurling abuse at Jamie Carragher moments before the Merseyside derby, forcing the Liverpool legend to be ushered away from the pitch.
Carragher, 48, was on punditry duty with Sky Sports at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to watch his former side beat his boyhood club in dramatic fashion.
It looked as though the points were set to be shared in the first Merseyside derby at Everton’s new home on Albert Docks, but Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk broke the Toffees’ hearts in the 100th-minute header to secure a monumental three points for the Reds.
Before the game, moments after the two sets of teams had emerged from the tunnel, Carragher could be seen walking along the sidelines as he went to his position in the Sky Sports studio for the match.
The former Liverpool defender was quickly subjected to abuse from Evertonians in the stand, with one supporter being heard shouting ‘F*** off Carra, you soft c***’ before then screaming ‘F*** off you k***head’.
Carragher could be seen responding to some fans in the crowd, getting involved in a brief, heated exchange, before ignoring further abuse and continuing his walk along the touchline.
WARNING: Graphic language
This isn’t the first time a pundit has been abused while working a football game. In fact, Carragher’s close colleague, Gary Neville, got involved in an altercation with a Manchester City fan during the Carabao Cup final last month.
The former Manchester United captain was spotted shushing a rival fan from the gantry, where he was commentating, after City secured their ninth League Cup title with a 2-0 win over Arsenal.
Neville had been subject to a barrage of abuse during and after the game, and one jubilant City fan could be heard calling Neville a ‘Red ’ as well as chanting ‘Neville’s a w****r, w****r, w****r’.
‘Where’s your club, where’s your team, you Red ****?’ the man could be heard shouting at the 51-year-old while the Sky Sports commentator was taking a moment to step away from his duties in the gantry to take a picture with a passerby.
Neville, who had at first appeared to be ignoring the abuse, then turned up to the stands and put his finger to his mouth, telling the fan to be quiet.
This appeared to encourage the City fan, who began laughing. Clearly finding some amusement in the situation, Neville smiled while also encouraging the man to keep it down, before returning to his screen.
The incident at the Hill Dickinson Stadium won’t have done much to dampen Carragher’s spirits, though, with Liverpool securing a double over their bitter rivals.
The Reds now sit comfortably in tn fifth, the final Champions League qualifcation spot, eight points clear of Everton, and seven ahead of closest challengers Chelsea.
