Former Liverpool center back Jamie Carragher has hinted that he might give the upcoming Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea a miss, following the barring of his Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville from the City Ground.
Ex-Manchester United defender Neville made it known on Friday that he had been refused accreditation and entry as a co-commentator for Sunday’s match in the East Midlands.
Having returned to the Premier League fold in 2022, Forest has frequently been on the receiving end of Neville’s critique, particularly at the end of last season and that has continued in the current campaign.
Neville went so far as to label the actions of Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at the conclusion of the 2-2 draw with Leicester City earlier this month as “scandalous”. He criticized Marinakis for confronting manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch regarding his decision not to substitute the injured Taiwo Awoniyi before Leicester’s leveling goal during stoppage time.
Amid escalating friction with Nottingham Forest, Neville disclosed that he has been barred from covering Forest’s last fixture of the campaign against Chelsea on Sunday.
Taking to Instagram on Friday evening, Neville conveyed: “I was contacted by Sky Sports earlier on in the week and told that I would be commentating at the City Ground on Sunday for the Nottingham Forest v Chelsea match.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I was informed yesterday by Sky Sports that Nottingham Forest would not give me an accreditation or access to the stadium as a co-commentator. I’ve had no choice but to withdraw from the coverage.
“I’ve dished out my fair share of criticism and praise in the last 14 years of doing this job and have never come close to this unprecedented action.
“Personally, I think it’s disappointing that a great club like Nottingham Forest have been reduced to making such a decision. Whilst they have every right to choose who they let into their own stadium, it’s symptomatic of things that have happened over the last 12 months with the club.
“I wish the coaching staff, players and fans of the club all the best in their quest to achieve Champions League football.”
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The Daily Mail reports that Sky Sports have revised their broadcasting arrangements for the Super Sunday segment, opting to air the programme from their West London studio instead of the City Ground. Nevertheless, Sky Sports is still expected to dispatch a commentary team to Forest’s home ground.
But after Carragher commented on Neville’s Instagram post with several ‘crying laughing’ emojis and enquired about his own accreditation at the City Ground, it looks improbable that the ex-Liverpool center-back will join that team in East Midlands following discussions with Marinakis.
Carragher replied to Neville’s announcement with a host of ‘crying laughing’ emojis before questioning whether he too had been barred access to the City Ground.
“He said I was fine to commentate, but I couldn’t go near the pitch,” Carragher responded. “I said, ‘I’m not coming at all if you’re not letting Gary in’, so he told me to, ‘F— off’.”
