Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira will not face any punishment from the FA after a fan altercation at Goodison Park. The incident took place after Everton fans invaded the pitch following their 3-2 win over Crystal Palace that helped them secure their Premier League status. One fan appeared to provocate Vieira following which the manager kicked him to the ground.
“We worked with Everton FC to gather all available CCTV footage and spoke to witnesses,” Merseyside Police said in a statement regarding Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira. “Officers have spoken to both men involved and the opportunity to make a formal complaint or support a prosecution was declined.”
“It has been alarming to see a rise in the number of fans entering the pitch during matches over the past couple of weeks,” Chief Constable Mark Roberts said. “This has at times resulted in assaults and altercations with players, managers, and club staff – which is totally unacceptable. The pitch is the players’ place of work and like everyone else, they should be able to feel safe.”
“I know emotions are running high when clubs are getting promoted or avoiding relegation, but having large numbers of fans rushing onto the pitch at the end of the game is a safety risk for everyone, and I would urge all fans to remain in their seats and celebrate in the correct way,” he added. “It is the responsibility of clubs to ensure that fans can view matches in safety and we will continue to work with clubs to see what can be done to help prevent these incidents in future.”
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