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Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has said he would like to fight former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, ahead of his first MMA bout. The former left-back has formally announced his entry into mixed martial arts, and has made it clear that he would be delighted to take on Suarez.
It is worth remembering that the two players have some history. Back in 2011, Suarez racially abused Evra during a Premier League game between their respective clubs. The former Reds striker picked up a fine of £40,000 and was punished with an eight-match ban. He also refused to shake Evra's hands in the next match, where they faced each other.
The former Manchester United full-back seems to have kept it in my mind, though, as he namechecked Luis Suarez in a post on social media:
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"BREAKING: I’m officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe. They will pick my opponent... They asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suárez. I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me."
The final comment in Patrice Evra's post alludes to a series of biting incidents by Suarez. The former Liverpool striker was punished with a seven-match ban for biting Otman Bakkal while he was still at Ajax, back in 2010. He also picked up a 10-match ban when he bit Branislav Ivanovic during the Reds' match against Chelsea in 2013.
In 2014, during the World Cup, Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini and picked up a nine-match ban for international games. He also picked up a four-month suspension from football activities. More recently (April 14), he nearly bit his Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba during a match against Los Angeles FC, but stopped at the last moment.
Former Liverpool full-back reveals how he snubbed Manchester United
Former Liverpool full-back Neco Williams has opened up about how he rejected Manchester United for a move to Anfield. Notably, he had family members who were strong Red Devils' supporters, but he opted for Kirkby over Carrington at the age of nine.
Williams broke into the Reds' first team in 2019 and made 33 appearances for them. He also enjoyed a period of success under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League, the Club World Cup, and the Carabao Cup. Now, he is one of the most exciting full-backs in the league with Nottingham Forest. Speaking about his decision to snub United, the 24-year-old said (via Liverpool.com):
“I started to go to Liverpool and Everton sessions, and they were the two most interested in me. It wasn’t until the age of nine that I had to choose a team to sign for. I was still playing for Manchester United at that time too, training with both teams.
“All my family are Manchester United supporters, so everyone thought I would choose them, but I chose Liverpool. It’s hard to remember exactly why, but I think it came down to where I felt most comfortable and at that time it was Liverpool.”
Williams has been in brilliant form for Nottingham Forest this season. He has played 34 games, scoring a goal and creating two assists. The full-back has been instrumental in Forest's quality so far, as they sit in fourth on the Premier League table.
