Liverpool and Everton have both been charged by the Football Association for failing to control their players following a mass melee in Monday night's Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp's side came out on top to win 2-0 and claim their first victory of 2023 as Mohamed Salah's first-half opener was followed by a second-half tap-in from Cody Gakpo – his first goal for the club since joining in January.
In the final five minutes of the contest, tempers flared following a confrontation between Andrew Robertson and Jordan Pickford, with the latter barging into the former who had kicked the ball away after the referee had blown his whistle for an Everton free kick.
Both players, who were booked by on-field referee Simon Hooper, eventually laughed off the incident but other players from both sides, including substitutes, were then involved in further altercations, with some of the stewards playing their part to break up the fracas.
The FA has since released a statement on Thursday confirming that both Merseyside clubs have been charged for failing to 'conduct themselves in an orderly fashion.'
A statement read: " Liverpool and Everton have been charged following a mass confrontation during the 86th minute of their Premier League match on Monday 13 February.
The derby is getting HEATED! 🤬 pic.twitter.com/lnAhw530E0
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 13, 2023
"It's alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players and/or benches conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.
"Liverpool and Everton and until Monday 20 February to provide responses to their charges."
The FA's latest charges comes a week after Manchester United and Crystal Palace were given the same punishment of failing to control their players following a mass melee which saw Casemiro sent off for putting his hands round the neck of Will Hughes.
Liverpool will now be looking to build on their derby triumph by claiming maximum points when they travel to St James' Park to face Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Reds are currently languishing in ninth place in the Premier League table, nine points behind Newcastle in fourth, but that gap will be reduced to six points with a victory in the North-East, and Klopp's men also have a game in hand on the Magpies.
As for Everton, they are embroiled in a relegation scrap as they sit 18th in the table, but Sean Dyche's men could climb out of the drop zone if they beat 17th-placed Leeds United at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Oliver Thomas
