Patrick Vieira appears to KICK an Everton fan following 3-2 defeat at Goodison Park

1

View
comments

Patrick Vieira faces an FA investigation after appearing to kick out at a fan on the night Everton celebrated securing their Premier League status.

Footage emerged of the Crystal Palace manager seeming to lashing out at a home supporter who was part of a mass pitch invasion following the Toffees’ 3-2 comeback win.

Asked about the incident, Vieira said: ‘I’ve got nothing to say about that.’

The fan who was seemingly involved posted a video of the incident on Twitter. It was put on the social media platform by a fan with the username of @frankie_efc and shows someone putting a middle finger in the face of Vieira, who then reacts.

Thousands of jubilant Everton supporters who had seen their side secure Premier League survival invaded the pitch following the match. 

Vieira, unaccompanied by staff or security, made his way across the pitch towards the away dressing room which is housed in the Park End car park as a result of Covid protocols.

Footage on Sky Sports showed the fan goading Vieira with what looked to be obscene gestures and the angry Palace boss reacted by lashing out, first with his hand before kicking the individual who had approached him.

Vieira was then seemingly shoved by another Everton fan before others stepped in to ensure the 45-year-old could leave the pitch safely.

Speaking on Sky, pundit Dion Dublin criticised the conduct of the fans and suggested he did not blame Vieira for responding.

‘We know how overjoyed the Everton fans are but you can’t be doing that. You can’t be pushing managers and pushing players, touching players and shouting in their faces,’ said Dublin.

‘We know it is only one or two who spoiled it for everyone else. Having fans on the pitch is not the way forward. We need to stop letting fans, or allowing fans to get on the pitch. It is too dangerous.’

Everton manager Frank Lampard offered his support to Vieira following the incident.  

‘I feel for Patrick because I didn’t get to speak to him at the end because of how it all erupted for us,’ he said.

‘Of course, he is running across the pitch of 80 yards across a lot of our fans, so it is not easy. But there were no issues that I know of.

‘If done in the right way, I am happy for fans to stay on the pitch and enjoy it. As long as everyone is behaving and we don’t see scenes like we did the other night, let them have their moment. It’s what football is all about. Are we going to handcuff them to their seats? As long as they behave, no problem.’

It comes comes just 24 hours after Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp was headbutted by a Nottingham Forest fan following a pitch invasion.

Robert Biggs, 30, was on Thursday jailed 24 weeks and banned from stands for 10 years.

The incident at Goodison Park came on the same night as pitch-invading Port Vale supporters appeared to punch Swindon players following their League Two playoff semi-final victory.

What should have been a night to savour for the club ended in disgrace when home fans invaded the pitch to celebrate their victory and then appeared to throw punches towards crestfallen Swindon players.

Sky Sports cameras captured the moment Vale fans became embroiled in an altercation with opposition players on the pitch, with punches seemingly thrown during the melee.

Jack Payne, Ben Gladwin and Jake O’Brien appear to have be the three Swindon stars targeted by the fans, before security soon intervened to pull them away from the trouble.

The Vieira episode marred what had been one of the great Goodison Park nights for Everton, who extended their 68-year top-flight stay with the dramatic victory.

Needing a win to seal safety, their survival battle looked set to be going down to the final day when they trailed Palace at half-time through goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew.

But Everton turned the game around in sensational style in the second half, as Michael Keane pulled a goal back before Richarlison equalised and Dominic Calvert-Lewin completed the comeback with a diving header five minutes from time.

‘It is an incredible night,’ said manager Lampard. ‘I have been playing a long time and coaching a relatively short time. I have achieved many things but this night is right up there amongst them. In my managerial career, that is possibly at the top

‘From 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Premier League safety on the line and what it means to the club, that is special.

‘It is a massive achievement for the club because the permutations of going down would have been huge for everybody.

‘The scenes at the end were just incredible and well deserved. I had no issues. It was pure elation of fans that wanted to stay in the Premier League. As long as everyone is behaving, let them have their moment.

‘People will say, ‘You are celebrating standing up’, but it means so much to everyone. People won’t forget this.’

Lampard replaced Rafa Benitez as manager in January when Everton were 16th and four points above the relegation zone.

‘I feel like I am full of thanks,’ he added. ‘Thanks to the fans for taking me on board, thanks to the board and the owner for choosing me in a difficult time for the club when it looked like we were heading in the wrong direction.

‘And thanks to the players, because as much as I have spoken about the fans, the players did that today.

‘The game wasn’t going the way we wanted it. The second goal was so bad for us. But what’s important was how much fighting spirit we had to turn the game around.’

Vieira added: ‘We lost control of the game. When things were going well, we started to showboat a little bit. We stopped doing things simple. They believe they had the chance and they didn’t give up.’