Report: EPL handshakes to stay

The Premier League will insist that pre-match handshakes continue despite the bust-up between Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez on Saturday.

Suarez failed to offer his hand to the Frenchman ahead of Manchester United’s home clash with Liverpool, in what was the Uruguayan’s second start following his eight-game ban after racially abusing the 30-year-old in their previous Premier League fixture this season.

The FA moved to call off handshakes earlier this year, when Chelsea played QPR at Loftus Road, as they looked to defuse the tension between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand.

The former England captain Terry is facing charges of racial abuse towards the defender – again from an encounter earlier this season – and it was thought the potential refusal of a handshake at the re-match could incite fan misbehaviour.

However, the Premier League have no plans in place to remove the handshakes from matches permanently as they still believe it sets a good example of fair play and respect between players, English daily the Sun has reported.

The handshake is part of the ‘Get On With The Game’ campaign agreed on by all Premier League clubs in 2007.

Last season the clubs all agreed to continue with the operation believing it to be a success and, despite recent problems, there are no plans to remove it from individual games.

Liverpool and Manchester United are currently awaiting referee Phil Dowd’s report from their game at Old Trafford, which could leave both sides in trouble with the FA for failing to control their players in a half-time brawl.