Jamie Carragher believes "99 per cent of footballers" have made horrific tackles in the same category as the one Neil Taylor made on Seamus Coleman during last weekend's World Cup qualifier in Dublin.
Republic of Ireland captain Coleman suffered a sickening double leg fracture as Martin O'Neill's side battled out a goalless draw with Wales, who lost Taylor to a straight red card following his late challenge on the Everton man.
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher says challenges such as Taylor's are not uncommon on the football pitch, but not much attention is paid if the victim walks away with a scratch.
Ahead of Saturday's Merseyside derby at Anfield, pundit Carragher wrote in his column in the Daily Mail: "It's something I always wanted to do. To this day, I am still sent pictures on social media of collisions I had in derbies with Steven Pienaar and Phil Neville.
"When the tone needs to be set and the crowd need to be revved up, nothing is better than a big, shuddering tackle.
"We all think the same. Remember Roy Keane's comments before the Republic of Ireland faced Wales. He said he wanted to see his players 'hit' those from Wales.
" Yet it also shows why the comment 'he's not that type of player' is nonsense.
"We are all that type of player. I'd say 99 per cent of footballers have made challenges as bad as Taylor's - or even worse - at some point in their careers. They were just lucky no bones were broken."
Coleman now faces months on the sidelines after undergoing an operation on a broken tibia and fibula and is set to watch his Everton team take on city rivals Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime as the Premier League returns after the international break.
Meanwhile FIFA have opened proceedings against Aston Villa full-back Taylor, who will definitely miss Wales' next qualifier away to Serbia in June, and faces the prospect of having his automatic one-match ban extended.
Carragher said: "Poor Seamus. Those two words have dominated conversations this week, particularly on Merseyside. Everton's stricken right back should be lining up against Liverpool on Saturday.
"Taylor should be devastated. Coleman faces at least six months of rehabilitation and soul-destroying days in the gym. There is also no guarantee he will come back in the same form.
Referring to a tackle on then- Manchester United winger Nani six years ago, Carragher added: "But I won't vilify the Aston Villa full back. Why? I could have been in exactly the same position in March 2011 when Liverpool played Manchester United.
"I was lucky not to be sent off and luckier still that Nani was able to walk out of Anfield with 'just' a gash in his leg.
"Besides a goal in the first minute, the thing Liverpudlians and Evertonians want to see from their players in the opening exchanges is a challenge to - in the words of my old youth coach Hughie McAuley - 'rattle the bones'."
Source: PA
