Ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch apologises to Mikel Obi for the ‘worst tackle’ of his career
Crouch has had a change of hearts more than a decade after accusing Mikel of provoking and diving to get him sent off.
Ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has revealed that the worst tackle of his career was on Mikel Obi and has also apologised to the Nigerian midfielder.
Crouch and Mikel played several years in England where they had numerous duels.
It was during one of those duels that the former striker had to be sent off for a tackle on the Nigerian.
It was a League Cup quarter-final between Liverpool and Chelsea in the 2007/2008 season that Crouch got a red card for a lunge at Mikel.
After the game, Crouch, it can be recalled, accused Mikel of diving and provoking the tackle but more than a decade later, the English man has admitted his mistake and apologised.
According to Crouch who also played for the likes of Tottenham and Stoke City, that was the worst tackle of his career.
“The worst tackle I ever did was on Mikel. I think it was in the Carling Cup, as it was called then,” the former Reds man said in the BBC-monitored That Peter Crouch Podcast.
“The whole of the game, I’d been receiving balls high and he (Mikel Obi) had been basically told to mark in front of me. He’s been standing all over my toes constantly, all game.
“I try to chest it away, but he’s putting his hands on my face, even his elbows. I’ve been telling the referee (about it) all game, and I’m getting nothing.
“Then it happened again, and as the ball dropped off, another one of his elbows again… The ball dropped perfectly, and he was facing the stands. Obviously, I lost the plot and I tried to take him out.
“I’m not proud of it. If he’s listening to this, Mikel, I’d like to apologise.”
Crouch’s red card came with Chelsea one-goal up before Andriy Shevchenko doubled the lead to take his side to the semi-finals.
Chelsea reached the final of the League Cup that season but lost 2-1 to London rivals Tottenham.
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