Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has kicked a fan to the ground after his side’s Premier League loss to Everton.
The former Arsenal and France midfielder was responding to taunts when he lashed out a Toffees supporter as he walked across the Goodison Park turf.
Vieira kicked the man to ground amid chaotic scenes.
Palace coughed up a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 with the home side scoring twice in the last 15 minutes to salute. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 85th-minute goal sparked the pitch invasion as Everton avoided relegation from England’s top flight.
Fans also invaded the pitch at full-time.
Vieira addressed the incident after the game: “I have nothing to say about that.”
He was on his way back to the Palace dressing room when the carnage ensued, but could have joined Everton manager Frank Lampard in the home rooms.
“I feel for Patrick. I didn’t get him at the end. I would have said: ‘Come in with us,’ although he might not have wanted that. Of course, he ran 80 yards across the pitch and it’s not easy,” said Lampard.
Former Premier League striker Dion Dublin commented on the incident on Sky Sports.
“We don’t want to see it at all,” he said.
“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, shouting at players in their faces.
“It’s just not what we want to see. We know it’s the minority, we know it’s only one or two who spoil it for everyone else.
“But having fans on the pitch is not the way forward, we have to stop allowing fans on the pitch. It’s too dangerous.”
See the incident below:
Patrick Vieira kicking an Everton fan to the floor tonight
— Football Fights (@footbalIfights) May 19, 2022
pic.twitter.com/4gncryw62X
Dion Dublin says there must be firm action taken against pitch invaders after Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira was confronted by Everton fans as he was walking off the pitch at full time. pic.twitter.com/FFDhfSqFgv
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 19, 2022
It is the latest on-field incident involving fans and players in the UK.
A Nottingham Forest supporter was jailed for 24 weeks and given a 10-year football ban for head-butting Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp in the Championship playoff semi-finals earlier in the week.
Hope Billy Sharp is alright. When slowed down you can see how bad it is. Head on head contact. Ban for Life and a prison sentence at the least… #twitterblades #sufc pic.twitter.com/JV2uDLNYuZ
— Ben Lambert (@benlambert514) May 17, 2022