Jamie Carragher has drawn widespread criticism after the pundit made a “disgusting” comment about Hannibal Mejbri during Liverpool’s last-gasp 1-0 victory over Burnley on Sunday afternoon. The Premier League champions struggled at Turf Moor, with it taking a numerical advantage and a 95th-minute Mohamed Salah penalty to finally break the deadlock.
Scott Parker’s side had been set up to frustrate their high-flying opponents, and their plan appeared to be working - until Hannibal, a product of Manchester United’s academy, carelessly put his arm in an unnatural position, conceding the penalty.
That decision handed Liverpool a golden opportunity to secure their fourth straight win and extend their 100 percent record for the season as they reclaimed their position at the top of the table. Watch the winning penalty below:
While it was clearly an unwise decision by the midfielder, which denied Burnley a potentially vital point in their bid to become the first newly-promoted side in the last three campaigns to survive the dropzone in the Premier League, Carragher, working for Sky Sports, has been accused of taking the criticism too far.
Jamie Carragher Ripped Into For Calling Hannibal 'Brain Dead'
Jamie Carragher
"Burnley don't deserve that," Carragher said on commentary for Sky Sports, as per the Daily Mail, before he then continued on Hannibal's decision to put his arm away from his body to stop Jeremie Frimpong's cross (watch the incident below):
"Brain dead. It's a moment of madness! What is he doing?"
Fellow pundit Roy Keane also had no sympathy for the 22-year-old. "It's not as if Hannibal's unlucky," the former United captain added. "It's madness, it's cost them a point. And a point would have felt like a win. So it does knock them." But Carragher's remarks have not gone down well with the wider football community.
"Did Carragher really just say 'brain dead'?" one X user asked, "Disgusting." Another continued: "Did Carragher just call a Burnley player absolutely brain dead? Not acceptable from a commentator." Elsewhere, a third wrote:
"Jamie Carragher calling somebody “brain dead” on live tv is an absolute disgrace. @SkySports please take this as an official complaint. Please remove this uneducated person from TV."
Hannibal Mejbri
Burnley boss Scott Parker, meanwhile, felt sympathy for Hannibal after his side showed so much 'spirit'. "I have been in the arena, I know how quick things move," he said. "His body action was turning, and his arm has gone out.
"The ball is probably coming at 80mph and it has hit it. The only learning for Hannibal is that we will have to train with hands behind the back."