Craig Bellamy was involved in a fracas with his former team-mates at Anfield last night after helping Liverpool to Premiership victory over Newcastle United.
Stewards were forced to intervene in the tunnel as ugly scenes developed and it was no surprise that a player who left St James's Park under a cloud last summer was involved.
United were beaten 2-0 by Rafael Benitez's team - with keeper Steve Harper guilty of a late error that allowed Xabi Alonso to double the home lead with a goal struck from 70 yards. Glenn Roeder defended Shay Given's unfortunate deputy and insisted that nobody in the visiting camp blamed him for the club's third defeat in five league games.
But it was Bellamy who dominated the post-match debate after the former Tyneside favourite clashed with his former colleagues. Stephen Carr and Terry McDermott are understood to have been involved in a furious row with the Welshman, although Roeder insisted he had no knowledge of the incident.
"I was off the pitch quickly, up the tunnel and in the dressing room and I was not aware of any altercation," said the Magpies boss. "Terry McDermott is a very experienced man, a very experienced coach and I am sure that it would be way above him to get involved in anything like that when he knows he represents a club like ours." Although he insisted that he had not witnessed the episode, Rafael Benitez acknowledged that there had been an incident.
"I could hear something, there was a lot of shouting but I couldn't understand it," said the Liverpool boss who, like Roeder, was in the dressing room when the incident occurred. "I couldn't see what happened. It only lasted maybe two seconds." Roeder added: "I would be the last person to disagree with Rafael Benitez and perhaps what he said was what happened - a lot of shouting."
Bellamy's career at St James's Park was littered with controversy and Graeme Souness, John Carver and Alan Shearer were amongst those to have fallen out with the irksome striker during his colourful spell in the North-East. McDermott is a close ally of both Souness and Shearer. The episode diverted attention away from a game in which Dirk Kuyt fired the home side into a 29th-minute lead before Alonso secured maximum points with a remarkable strike from inside his own half.
For Harper, who was starting only his third Premiership fixture in five seasons, the Spaniard's spectacular second spelled an unfortunate end to his long-awaited return to top-flight action. The 31-year-old made a costly mistake during his previous league appearance at White Hart Lane 17 months ago and, with his inopportune slip allowing Alonso to make Liverpool's triumph certain, this is not a game he will wish to dwell upon.
"Steve was distraught at the end," added Roeder. "He is such a top-class professional and he has taken it badly because he wrongly thinks at the moment that he has let the lads down. He hasn't. That (slip) could have happened to anyone. If it happens to a striker, a midfielder or a defender it doesn't end up in the back of the net but when it happens to a goalkeeper the consequences are dire.
"We're a tight unit here with good team spirit and the lads will rally around Steve and put their arms around him. He will pick himself and get over it and make many, many saves that will win us many points in the future. No one at Newcastle is blaming Steve for what happened. If Alonso did not have such wonderful technique, the ball would not have found the net. It was a fantastic strike but Steve was unlucky and people have to remember that."
Roeder refused to make any comment on Kevin Bond's situation. Newcastle's assistant manager remains on leave in light of this week's Panorama investigation into football corruption and it is uncertain whether he will ever return to St James's Park.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, admitted he thought Alonso should have passed before scoring his stunning goal.
The Spaniard said: "We showed that we can play good football, we can create chances and score some goals. Maybe we deserved one or two more goals but at the end of the day we got one very good score and one amazing goal. "I think he (Alonso) played well but I was thinking of telling him off because I was watching (Steven) Gerrard running forward out wide. He could have passed it but in the end it was great vision and congratulations. He practises it all the time and I am always telling him to be careful when shooting from distance."
Alonso's goal was his first since scoring from his own half in the FA Cup against Luton in January. On that occasion, too, Gerrard had berated him for not passing, only to applaud as the ball bounced into the net. This time he netted from 65 yards, lobbing Harper as he stumbled trying to get back to his line.
Benitez added: "I am pleased with the number of chances we created and defensively it was another clean sheet as well.
"It is important to have clean sheets, like last season. Clean sheets are not just for defenders they are for the team. We created many chances and I think our supporters enjoyed the game tonight."
