Patrice Evra said he was always going to shake the hands of Luis Suarez out of respect for the occasion, before the English Premier League game between Manchester United and Liverpool.
Suarez was handed an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra last season, with the Liverpool striker then refusing to shake the United defender's hand during the pre-match handshake ritual last year. This year, however, there were no such problems, with both players choosing to let their performances on the field do the talking.
"It was not an easy game," Evra told the club's official website. "There was a lot of tension and emotion beforehand and, in the end, we get the three points. It's all we talk about -- winning -- because we have done our job and well done to everyone.
"I think the most important word today was respect because it was a game between two big clubs that have both had big tragedies. That's why, although a lot of people were talking about me shaking hands with Suarez, the story of the clubs is bigger than that. It's why I think if I didn't shake his hand, I didn't respect the story of both clubs.
"In the end, this time, he shook my hand and it was more important to respect the (Hillsborough disaster affected) families who lost a lot of people.
Evra was delighted to pick up a victory after Robin Van Persie scored a late penalty to give Manchester United a 2-1 result against 10-man Liverpool. Steven Gerrard had opened the scoring for the home team early in the second half, after Jonjo Shelvey received a straight red card. Rafael then struck a stunning equalizer before Van Persie ensured all points for the Manchester side.
"It's unbelievable," Evra said. "To be fair, I always say one of the best sensations is when we win at Anfield.
"We've been coming here for four years, a long time and I've not been seeing a dressing room like that with smiles on the faces after the game. I want to win against Liverpool. If I play badly or play well, I just want to win and that is what we did."
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