Liverpool: England’s Sturridge wasn’t cheating when he scored with his arm – he’s no Suarez
WHEN Liverpool played Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, England’s Daniel Sturridge scored the first goal with his elbow. Handball, surely. But the goal stood. Was it cheating, then? When Uruguay’s Luis Suarez scored with his hand against Macclesfield last season he was labelled a “cheat“.
To see what the experts think of it all, first we read the Sunderland Echo’s report:
In the 27th minute Gerrard curled in a corner from the left which was met by the unmarked Daniel Sturridge six yards out, who was unable to make a connection with his head, but the ball bounced off his outstretched arm and beat Larsson on the line.
What says the Liverpool Echo?
Daniel Sturridge put the Reds in front when referee Howard Webb failed to spot he had unintentionally diverted home Steven Gerrard’s corner with his arm.
So. Not handball, then. Just luck:
Big slice of luck for #LFC as Gerrard corner goes in off the arm of Sturridge but the goal stands. Liverpool lead at the Stadium of Light.
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) September 29, 2013
The paper’s Neil Jones, liveblogging the match, noted:
GOAL:Liverpool are in front. Gerrard swings in a corner from the left, and as Kolo Toure misses it at the front post, Daniel Sturridge is unmarked behind him at the far, to bundle the ball home. Replays suggest it struck his arm as he went for it, and the Sunderland defender on the line could not keep it out. Big goal for Liverpool, with the Stadium of Light left silenced after a good spell for the home side.
As for the national media, well, the BBC says:
…the Black Cats, who were undone by two Luis Suarez goals on his return for Liverpool, and a first-half strike from Daniel Sturridge.
What about the Daily Mail, which reported on Suarez’s handball goal:
Cheated! Suarez in the dock again as Liverpool need helping hand to down minnows Mansfield
And as it says for Sturridge:
Sturridge opened the scoring in controversial fashion, with the ball taking a heavy deflection off his arm before nestling in the net.
So. Not cheating, then? Sturridge is English so it’s a lucky, heavy deflect her never meant.
The local press is biased towards its local team. But is the British Press biased against Suarez? Yes.
The above phone is of the honourable English footballer Daniel Sturridge celebrating his iffy goal with little evidence of contrition.
Posted: 29th, September 2013 | In: Liverpool, Sports Comments (5) | TrackBack | Permalink
