Jamie Carragher was told to "behave" by co-commentator Martin Tyler after making a joke about Manchester United and referees during live Premier League coverage.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher joined Tyler for coverage of the game between Fulham and Wolves at Craven Cottage. The match was being officiated by Michael Oliver, a referee who has made no secret of his support for Newcastle, who are due to face Manchester United in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
Oliver's allegiances mean he does not take charge of games involving the Magpies. In discussing the official's support for Eddie Howe's side, though, Carragher hinted some referees might have a certain fondness for the Manchester club.
“Obviously you can’t referee the club you support, so it must’ve been hard for them to find someone for the Carabao Cup final with Manchester United involved,” Carragher joked. However, Tyler was quick to urge his colleague to watch his words.
Back on the pitch in west London, the game the pair were covering ended all-square. Pablo Sarabia put Wolves in front at the break with his first goal for the club, only for substitute Manor Solomon to earn Fulham a point.
While there are several Premier League games taking place over the weekend, many eyes will be focused on Sunday's showpiece at Wembley. Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag and Newcastle counterpart Eddie Howe are vying for a first trophy with their respective clubs.
Did Carragher overstep the mark? Have your say in the comments section.
"I never referee Newcastle games," Oliver told the Daily Mail in 2021. "We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club. You can’t do any match involving that team and I can’t do Sunderland, either, for obvious reasons.
"Because Newcastle are invariably involved in a relegation battle, when you get to March or April, it means I can’t referee anyone around them towards the bottom three. If Newcastle needed a point to survive and the team they were fighting to get above was say Villa, I couldn’t referee Villa’s game either. I wouldn’t want to. It’s not worth the hassle."
At the time of that interview, Newcastle were flirting with relegation, only to recover to finish 12th at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. Two years on, though, Howe's team are pushing for European qualification either through the league of via a cup win.
"To win would mean the world to me to do that, but it would not necessarily be for me," Howe said ahead of Sunday's final. which will be refereed by David Coote. “It would be more, genuinely, for the supporters, for everyone connected with the club to embrace that moment if we were able to do it.
“They've had a long wait for that moment and I know just from my very limited dealings with people around the city, the love they have for the football club. I'd love to return that love with a trophy.”
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