Everton and Liverpool fined for mass brawl during Merseyside derby at Anfield
- Players involved in mass brawl late on
- Both clubs received fines from FA
- Everton’s heftier due to Crystal Palace incident
WHAT HAPPENED? The melee started with a coming together between Jordan Pickford and Andy Robertson, with the Scotsman’s sneering reaction and Everton’s overall frustration on the night drawing in multiple players from both sides in the 86th minute. The punishment on the night was a yellow card each for Pickford and Robertson, but the FA have since announced that both clubs will be forced to pay retroactive fines having charged them last week.
WHAT THEY SAID?: “Everton and Liverpool have been fined £40,000 and £25,000 respectively for a mass confrontation that took place during their Premier League match on Monday 13 February,” a statement from English football’s governing body read. “Both clubs admitted that they failed to ensure their players and benches conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from provocative behavior during the 86th minute. An independent regulatory commission imposed their fines during a subsequent hearing, and its written reasons will be published in due course.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite comparable aggravations from both sides in that particular match, Everton received a heftier fine due to an altercation in their home game against Crystal Palace on 22 October. While tensions boiled over on the pitch during the Merseyside derby, Sean Dyche’s side offered the perfect response against Leeds in their following match, securing a gritty 1-0 victory to climb out of the relegation zone.
