A forgotten Liverpool star has rolled back the years with a hark back to his playing days during a runout for the club’s Under-21 side.
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A product of the Red’s academy, he played 55 times for the club, before leaving Merseyside in 2013.
He later turned out for Bolton, Blackburn and Blackpool, before returning to the club as a player-coach in 2022.
The former Anfield face was known for being a tough-tackling midfielder during his time at the club as a first-team player and in a bizarre moment reminded fans of his previous reputation by getting sent off in an Under-21 clash.
Jay Spearing is yet to officially retire, and made an appearance as an overage player for Liverpool’s Under-21 side as they met Reading in Premier League 2.
The game ended in a 0-0 draw, but was notable for Spearing’s role in a dramatic final few moments as goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek saved a last-minute penalty.
The spot-kick was awarded after it was Speaking who stopped a goal-bound shot going in with the palm of his hand, earning the veteran a straight red card.
However, his blushes were saved, by Mrozek who’s save saw Liverpool cling on to the draw against the Royals.
It was a moment that sparked comparisons to Spearing’s former Liverpool teammate, Luis Suarez, when Suarez famously handled the ball on the line during Uruguay’s World Cup quarter-final clash with Ghana and was shown a red card.
On that more high-profile occasion, Suarez also got away with the misdemeanour as the penalty was missed and the South American side progressed to the last four.
His red card is the first time the the 35-year-old has been sent off for the club since a dismissal in December 2011 at Fulham.
It’s not the first time Spearing has been called into action for the Under-21’s and has remained registered to play as an overage player.
In September 2022, he appeared from the bench Papa John’s Trophy clash against Rochdale, replacing Liverpool flop Arthur Melo, who was making a frustrating attempt at a return to fitness during his ill-fated loan spell from Juventus.
