The TNT Sports commentary team were left appalled after a tribute to Diogo Jota at Wembley was ‘spoiled’ by a small section of fans.
The Liverpool and Crystal Palace teams lined up in the centre circle before Sunday’s Community Shield to hold a minute’s silence.
Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash last month.
But the referee called a halt to the tribute after just ten seconds after a small section of supporters interrupted the silence.
Members of both teams could be seen looking around the stadium, surprised that the minute’s silence was being interrupted.
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The noises initially came from the Crystal Palace end, with Liverpool fans then responding with vocal boos.
As the referee cut short the minute’s silence, TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher said: ‘Why on earth there are a certain few inside the stadium who would spoil that moment is absolutely beyond me.’
Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist added: ‘It defies logic, that.’
Liverpool legend Ian Rush, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish and Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt had earlier laid wreaths in the Liverpool end in tribute to Jota.
Reds fans sang a rousing rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ as the wreaths were delivered and raised a banner featuring the forward’s image and number 20.
Shortly after the tragic car accident, Liverpool confirmed they had retired the No. 20 shirt in honour of Jota, who helped the club win the Premier League last season.
The decision was made after the club consulted Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso and his family and means the Portugal international ‘will forever be Liverpool’s number 20’.
Anfield chief Michael Edwards said: As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters – and we felt exactly the same way.
‘It was vitally important to us to involve Diogo’s wife, Rute, and his family in the decision and to ensure they were the first to know of our intention.
‘I believe this is the first time in Liverpool’s history that such an honour has been bestowed upon an individual. Therefore, we can say this is a unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person.
‘By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal – and therefore never to be forgotten.’
Liverpool plan to make further tributes to Jota on Friday when they begin their Premier League title defence against Bournemouth at Anfield.
Club captain Virgil van Dijk wrote about Jota in his match programme note for Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao last week.
‘It has, of course, been a very challenging time,’ he said. ‘First and foremost for Diogo and Andre’s family, for Rute and the kids.
‘They are the people who must always come first in all of this. We must never forget that, and we cannot imagine their pain in this moment.
‘It is still a bit surreal, to be honest, but we are coping in the best way possible as a team, and we are all trying to do the best job we can in order to get through this really difficult time.
‘With everything that happened, it has been strange having to now try to carry on with work, with football. We will never forget Diogo, of course, but we just have to try to honour his memory.
‘That’s what we try to do each and every day. I always come back to the fact that we have to look after Diogo’s family, his parents, and that’s the main thing.
‘You think about so many different things, and it’s difficult to process. You can’t imagine the pain, the feeling that they have. That’s why we try to be there as much as we can, and for each other as well.’
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