James Pearce appears to have landed himself in hot waters for an alleged remark on Twitter that has caught the eyes of online viewers.
Writing for The Athletic, Pearce shared his article on Liverpool’s latest draw against Chelsea on his official Twitter account. The op-ed piece indicted Liverpool’s midfield for the disappointing result, considering them to be lacking control and management.
What followed, then, was a series of interactions on the post, culminating in what fans deem to be a racially charged comment pinned on the journalist.
Responding to Pearce’s post, a user asked if he was willing to single out Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson for the abysmal show at Stamford Bridge. Or if such earmarking was reserved alone for Naby Keita, a Guinean player.
The user in question was referring to one of Pearce’s articles wherein the journalist had directed a scathing attack on Keita following his performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Pearce’s reply to this accusation was to suggest he wasn’t necessarily singling out any individual, but only trying to propose ways in which Keita could’ve improved.
To this, another user by the name @UsmanIfc left a denigrating comment on the post, responding to which Pearce hit back with an abhorrent comment of his own, or so people seemed to believe.
The photoshopped image doing the rounds
Pearce’s comment, though quite rightly perceived to be racist, was undeniably tweaked with the intention to deceive. And while screenshots of the same pervaded the thread, it’s safe to assume it’s completely forged.
Understandably, the journalist was quick to dissociate himself with the comment, rightly claiming it to be doctored, and that it had already been reported.
Considering the game’s proactive approach in dealing with issues of racism and the like, it’s perhaps inconceivable that a renowned journalist would deliberately write, on his official handle at that, something so distasteful.
