Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo
Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo reported the alleged comment
The opening Premier League fixture of the new season was stopped by referee Anthony Taylor after star Antoine Semenyo reported an alleged racist comment from the crowd.
Semenyo made the official aware of the incident and Taylor paused the game and went over to speak to both benches. commentator Peter Drury confirmed the reason for the stoppage.
After brief discussions, the game resumed and Semenyo remained on the pitch. Shortly afterwards, Reds new boy Hugo Ekitike fired the home side in front.
Drury said: "I am told by the Match Centre, the Premier League Match Centre, that Antoine Semenyo was subject to a racist comment from the crowd.
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"Of which, of course, nobody on either side, or indeed anywhere, is approving. So, sympathy from Liverpool, beyond which, at this stage, nothing to report.
"What I can tell you, also, is that it was Semenyo himself who brought the referee's attention to it."
It came after an emotional start to the proceedings when Anfield paid tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. The match is Liverpool's first in the since the duo died in a car crash in Spain.
The tragic star's wife and children were also on Merseyside for the match. Jota died just days after the star was married to long-term partner Rute Cardoso.
Fans unfurled a tifo in tribute to both men, while some on the Kop held a banner reading: "Rute, Dinis, Duate, Matalda - Anfield will always be your home. You’ll never walk alone."
The game was struck by controversy after only 14 minutes when Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi escaped a red card for handball.
Fans paid tribute to Diogo Jota
Fans paid tribute to Diogo Jota
Senesi appeared to stick an arm out after the ball bounced off his body, preventing Hugo Ekitike getting a run at goal.
Referee Taylor gave nothing in real time and the video assistant referee was called in to look at the incident. Those in the VAR room didn't feel further action was needed, but Carragher disagreed.
“We can hear what the VAR are saying. They’re saying it’s come off his leg and hit his hand like you can’t do anything about it," Carragher said during ' coverage. "But it’s not. He realises he’s got a massive problem and he puts his arm towards the ball.
“How the VAR can say that. I really don’t like seeing people sent off, that’s a last resort. But what I’ve just heard from the VAR did not happen. There’s plenty of time and he throws his hand at it. The information the referee got was not correct.”
manager appeared frustrated by the incident. He cut an animated figure on the touchline but Liverpool had to continue without a decision going their way.
The Premier League Match Centre shared an explanation for Senesi avoiding punishment. "The referee’s call of no red card to Senesi was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the action deemed not to be a clear handball offence nor denial of a goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO), due to the distance from goal," it said.
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