Police charge Liverpool fan over alleged racist abuse directed at Evra

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Police have charged a man over an alleged racist gesture made during Liverpool's FA Cup fourth-round victory over Manchester United.
Phillip Gannon, 58, of Heol Meirion, Barmouth, North Wales, has been charged with a racially aggravated section five public order offence and a section five public order offence, Merseyside Police said.
He has been bailed to appear at the Liverpool Community Justice Centre at 9.45am on April 20.

Target? Evra was subject to the alleged abuse at Anfield

The alleged incident happened at Anfield on January 28 this year.

Earlier, a television image capturing a Liverpool fan making an alleged racist gesture during the clash was distributed on social networking websites, sparking a number of complaints to the force.
It was the first game between the rivals since the eight-match ban imposed on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez after the FA found him guilty of racially abusing United defender and captain Patrice Evra.
Before the match, in which Liverpool triumphed 2-1, the stadium announcer warned supporters that racist and homophobic behaviour would not be tolerated.

Flashpoint: Evra and Suarez clashed earlier in the season

We won't let Blackburn bite us - Ferguson

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Wayne Rooney's penalty at Ewood Park helped Manchester United to the title last season

Sir Alex Ferguson is adamant Manchester United will not underestimate Blackburn Rovers, insisting they won't let over-confidence come back to bite them during the title run-in.
United head to Ewood Park to face relegation-threatened Blackburn on Monday, with the chance to open a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after arch-rivals Manchester City were held to a home draw against Sunderland on Saturday.
The form guide would suggest United should beat Blackburn with some ease, but Ferguson - perhaps mindful of the 3-2 home defeat his team suffered against the same opposition earlier in the season - insists sometimes these sort of games are the hardest for title-chasing sides to successfully negotiate.
"We know how quickly football can turn on you and bite you," said Ferguson. "You can look at all the fixtures and say all those teams are fighting for their lives. And they are the kind of games you know will be tight."
United have not done well at Ewood Park in recent years, winning on just two of their last 11 visits. A late draw at the ground last season did help them clinch the title; however, a goalless draw at the same venue in 2010 derailed their hopes of denying Chelsea the league crown.
"The game at Blackburn has always been a difficult match," Ferguson agreed. "It is a local derby and tends to be a bit feisty.
"Last season we were lucky enough to come back from a goal down to win the league.
"But it will be a very difficult game. That is the way it is going to be from now until the end of the season."

'Rooney can score 40 goals this season'- Manchester United boss Ferguson

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The Red Devils' boss is tipping the England striker to increase his tally for the current campaign and highlighted the former Everton prodigy's growing maturity

 Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney can reach 40 goals for the season and has praised the striker’s maturity.
Rooney has been in lethal form recently and has so far fired 31 goals for Manchester United and England. But despite his superb performances for the league leaders, Ferguson admitted Arsenal’s Robin van Persie is the favourite to be named as Player of the Year.

The Scot told The Guardian: "He could get to 40 goals.

"He has eight matches left, he can average a goal a game; you'd take that, wouldn't you? We would reasonably expect eight more goals.
“Would he get footballer of the year? Well, you have to say that Van Persie has had an exceptional season."

Wayne Rooney is 3.5 with 188Bet to score the first goal in Manchester United's clash with Blackburn Rovers on Monday night.

 

Rooney, 26, has been praised by his club manager for both his increased self-control and maturity.
"You always see a maturity about players when they reach their mid-20s," said Sir Alex.
"Along with their ability comes the thought patterns and timing. They are more in control of themselves in terms of what they are capable of doing."
The United boss has seen titles both won and lost in his time at Old Trafford and described the pressure of a Premier League run in.
"You get nerves. You are in a football job and it's your life and there is anxiety but not to the point that you get desperate.
"We lost the league in 1992 with four games in six days and to see your lead evaporate like that – it felt like it had disappeared within seconds."
With that experience in mind, Sir Alex conceded that a slip-up could well be around the corner and recalled the points tally he had predicted earlier in the season.
"There could be a shock around the corner now, you never know. We have done well in terms of getting into the position we are and now it is a case of playing our game and keeping our nerve. That is why I was so concerned in the last 15 minutes of the Fulham game when we kept giving the ball away.
"We won the league with 75 points one year – 1997 – and the year we won the treble we did it with 78. I still cannot believe that. Earlier in the season I thought 82 would do it but that won't happen now, will it? That calculation has been stood on its head."