Everton manager Frank Lampard has been fined Ksh 4.4 million by the Football Association for his patronizing media comments after their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in April's Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The former Chelsea midfielder lamented that a penalty would have been given if the challenge had been made by a Liverpool player in the post-match presser.
Lampard felt aggrieved that Everton was not awarded a penalty by EPL referee Stuart Attwell after winger Anthony Gordon was challenged by Liverpool's defender Joel Matip with the scores at 0-0.
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“It is a penalty in the second half,” he said. “I don’t think you get them here. I think probably if that is Mo Salah at the other end, you get a penalty. And I'm not trying to create conflict there, I think it is just the reality of football sometimes.
“It was a foul, it was a clear foul. But you don’t get them here.” stated an angry Lampard.
Lampard was fined for violating FA rule E3 which EA describes as "in relation to media comments proven during a personal hearing".
The English football governing body allows managers to criticize decisions but bars them from questioning the impartiality of referees more so in the media.
The FA stated that Lamapard's comments were biased after giving Lampard a fair chance to reply to the comments.
“The Everton FC manager made the comments after their Premier League game against Liverpool FC on Sunday 24 April 2022, and he denied that they constitute improper conduct as they imply bias and/or attack the integrity of the match referee — or referees generally — and/or bring the game into disrepute.” read the statement.
“An independent Regulatory Commission has fined Frank Lampard Ksh4.4 million after finding a charge against him for breaching FA Rule E3 in relation to media comments proven during a personal hearing," declared the Football Association.
Two goals from Andy Robertson and a headshot by former Liverpool forward Divock Origi saw Liverpool win the match.
Coincidentally, his competitor in the aforementioned match Jurgen Klopp was fined Ksh6.6 million in 2019 after comments about Kevin Friend on similar grounds.
Current Roma boss and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was also fined Ksh 7.3 million in 2015 for suggesting referees were biased.
A similar FA provision made Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta play coy with his comments after his side's 2-0 loss to Liverpool. Arteta feared facing the repercussions.