Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville disagreed over Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane's conduct which lead to Abdoulaye Doucoure's red card.
The Everton midfielder was sent off shortly before the hour mark of their 1-1 draw at Goodison Park after making contact after a swipe to the England captain's face. Minutes after the visitors gained a man advantage, the forward sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way after Michael Keane brought down Christian Romero.
Sean Dyche was in front of the incident which saw Demarai Gray tripped before the flashpoint as Kane and Doucoure both clashed with the former pulling the 30-year-old's shirt before reacting which referee David Coote deemed a sending-off offence.
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Luckily for the Blues' survival hopes, the numerical disadvantage didn't prevent the result as Lucas Moura was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Keane before the defender dragged Everton to a point with a superb long-range strike.
The standout moment from the second-half divided Monday Night Football pundits Carragher and Neville. The Bootle-born defender argued that the Three Lions captain went to ground too easily to get a fellow professional sent off with his opposite number defending the actions given the circumstances surrounding the north London club.
Here is the full transcript:
Gary Neville on Abdoulaye Doucoure's red card, demonstrating on Jamie Carragher: "Look, there’s no debate on the red card. There’s no debate on the red card at all, we’re all in agreement that Doucoure puts his hand up, everybody’s said that ultimately you can’t do this and you should be sent off. I suppose the only debate that we’re having is whether Harry Kane should go down.
"To me, I’m gonna do a little bit of a demonstration with James Carragher, he said it was a hand in the face and that, Harry Kane should never go down. I said to Carra that the only thing I’ve had before is when someone puts a clasp, if you like, the claw, and it goes on your eyes it does shock you. I’m not saying Harry Kane should go down, but that one there [a clawed motion with the hand] does throw you back. It is very different to a hand in the face."
David Jones: What would a punch look like?"
Jamie Carragher: "Listen, the debate is not about the red card, Harry Kane should not go down for that. He should not be going down. It can still be a red card for putting your hand in somebody’s face, Doucoure is wrong and I’m sure Sean Dyche will tell him that. I wouldn’t go down there, as a player.
"I don’t think there’s nowhere near enough to make you go down, and again, if I’d done that on a pitch I’d be embarrassed and if I watched my own son, who is a player, if I saw him do that - yes, it might help his team win, the opposition are down to 10 men - but when we get back in the car I’d just say what were you doing there? Don’t ever do that again on a football pitch."
Gary Neville: "Look, I’m a lot nicer than what I was 10 or 15 years ago. I lived in a dressing room where my striker, if Harry Kane stands up there - we’re talking about winning Champions League football or staying in the Premier League with relegation - if Harry Kane stands up there that might have been a yellow card because it will have been deemed as being just a little hand off.
"Harry Kane’s gone down - whether he should have or not - it’s to make sure that Doucoure gets sent off. It’s a part of the game people don’t like, and I’ve said it on this show for 12 years, but in our dressing room with our forward, we’re there to win leagues, we’re there to win games. People might call it cheating but you can’t put your hand in someone’s eyes with a clasp like that."
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Jamie Carragher: "It wasn’t in his eyes."
Gary Neville: "How can you say it wasn’t in his eyes?"
Jamie Carragher: "You’re doing a slow [motion clip]"
Gary Neville: "How can that not be in his eye? Both fingers - one finger in one eye and the other finger’s in the other!"
Jamie Carragher: "I’ve got no problem with people diving or trying to win a penalty, the thing I really don’t like is players trying to get fellow professionals booked or sent off. I’ve got no problem with someone going down, winning a free-kick then jumping back up on their feet.
"To be honest, I’m having a go at a Tottenham player, but there was an Everton player - Richarlison - that all the Everton fans over the last few years said you’re always on at Richarlison. Because not the fact he does that, it’s the fact he stays down rolling around when there’s nothing wrong with him. Harry Kane has gone down, are you trying to tell me he can’t stay on his feet? Is that enough to make you go down?"
Gary Neville: "Carra, I feel like you’re rewriting history here. You were a horrible defender who used every single dark art that was available and wanted your players in your team, you appealed for every decision more than anybody else that ever played, and if your strikers ever went down you’d want him sent off and you’d probably have a go at him if he didn’t."
Jamie Carragher: "I wouldn’t."
Gary Neville: "Now you’re talking on a Monday night in a suit it’s fine."
Jamie Carragher: "No I wouldn’t. It’s a better suit than that [pointing at GN’s suit]."
Gary Neville: "I thought it was alright, actually. But to be fair, on a serious note, if we go into our dressing rooms we’re going well done Harry, you got him sent off."
Jamie Carragher: "Would you do it [go down like Kane did]?"
Gary Neville: "I wouldn’t."
Jamie Carragher: "Why wouldn’t you do it?"
Gary Neville: "I wouldn’t do that."
Jamie Carragher: "Why not?"
Gary Neville: "I wouldn’t mind my striker doing it."
Jamie Carragher: "Yes, but you wouldn’t do it?"
Gary Neville: "I wouldn’t."
Jamie Carragher: "And if your son was playing football how would you feel if he’d done it?"
David Jones: "Final word on this."
Gary Neville: "Well, to be fair my point is I’m giving Harry the benefit of the doubt, maybe because I know him. He does dive, don’t get me wrong. He does go to ground and he’s clever, but my point is when those nails go in your eye, honestly that can shock you."
Jamie Carragher: "Imagine you were out on a Saturday night with your wife, someone did that to you and you’re on the floor rolling around."
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