Richard Keys has entered the debate sparked by Jamie Carragher’s on-air Kate Abdo quip, with the ex-Liverpool star told he “crossed the line”.

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Ex-Liverpool star made on-air quipAttracted plenty of criticismIssue addressed during UCL coverageWHAT HAPPENED?

During CBS Sports’ coverage of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Porto, former England international Carragher delivered an ill-advised ‘joke’ when insinuating that programme host Abdo has not been loyal to fiance Malik Scott.

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Former Sky Sports presented Keys, who is now a frontman on beIN Sports, responded to that jibe on social media by saying: “I think Kate Abdo is a top pro. I’ve no idea what Carragher is insinuating but he crossed the line again. How many more times? That show is like so many more these days – too ‘pally’. It was an accident waiting to happen. Abdo deserves much better.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Keys was quickly advised to “sit this one out”, as responses to his post flooded in, with derogatory comments about female match official Sian Massey leading to his resignation at Sky back in 2011. He has also clashed with Carragher in the past over comments regarding the England manager’s job. Carragher said after being accused of borderline racism by Keys for suggesting that the Three Lions should be managed by an Englishman: “It borders on racism. I hope you send similar tweets to a lot of journalists who have the same opinion, or is it because I work for Sky! You are a sad desperate man.”

WHAT NEXT?

Abdo and Co have since addressed Carragher’s faux pas, with the CBS team laughing the incident off after likening the former Liverpool defender to a “middle child, chip on his shoulder, capable of saying anything for attention. Does he go too far sometimes? Absolutely. Does he apologise? Yes he does. But all of us have that one annoying family member that we still love and accept.”