BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has bizarrely accused Andrew Robertson of "bullying" linesman Constantine Hatzidakis during last weekend's 2-2 draw with Arsenal - insisting if he tried such a stunt in his native Scotland he would get "levelled".
The Reds left-back was involved in a coming together with Hatzidakis on the stroke of half-time, in which the official appeared to elbow Robertson in the throat. The incident between the pair occurred after the Scotland captain had approached Hatzidakis to discuss the officiating of the first half.
Despite the incident being captured by broadcasters at Anfield, Hatzidakis escaped any punishment after a "thorough" review of all of the evidence by the Football Association. The ECHO understands Robertson and Hatzidakis spoke on Zoom on Thursday afternoon, with the linesman later labelling the clear-the-air talks with the 29-year-old as "open & positive".
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However, Crooks has slammed the Reds' No.26 for his involvement in the flashpoint and defended Hatzidakis' "perfectly natural" reaction to, what he describes as, "bullying of the worst kind".
"It would seem the controversy surrounding the encounter between Liverpool and Arsenal that finished 2-2 has finally been brought to an end," wrote Crooks in his BBC Team of the Week column. "The incident involving the assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis and Andy Robertson was resolved after a Football Association inquiry found the assistant referee had no case to answer. And I should think so.
"The incredulity on Robertson's face having received the reflex reaction from the referee's assistant. The defender had after all come at such a pace to confront the official, it was perfectly natural for the startled Hatzidakis to raise his elbow as a defensive mechanism.
"The way Robertson then turned to his team-mates in astonishment to complain that he had just been 'deliberately' elbowed was bordering on pathetic."
Crooks added: "The international defender should have known better. Had he tried that stunt in his native Scotland, in a match of no significance with an ordinary member of the public running the line, he would almost certainly have been levelled.
"Robertson knew exactly what he was doing and who he was doing it to. This was bullying of the worst kind and it has to stop.
"Players confronting officials should have been outlawed years ago, and they only have themselves to blame. Referees' failure to use their cards in their defence has only served to make matters worse.
"Of course officials shouldn't raise their arms against a player and wouldn't in normal circumstances, but this was not a normal circumstance. This issue should have been about Robertson, who had no business intimidating the assistant referee in the first place."
Speaking at his press conference at the AXA Training Centre on Friday morning, Klopp hailed all parties for the way in which the incident was swiftly dealt with.
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