Everton boss Frank Lampard admits he has no issues with Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira after he kicked a Toffees fan at full-time on Thursday night.
Following a long series of pitch invasions across the EFL and Premier League in recent days, Everton fans became the latest set of supporters to run on in celebration, with Lampard’s side securing their Premier League status with a dramatic 3-2 win over Palace, despite going 2-0 down in the first half.
Goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew gave Palace a 2-0 lead and made Everton’s chances of survival unlikely. However, a second half comeback and goals from Michael Keane, Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin secured three points and survival for the Toffees.
After the game, mass numbers from the home crowd surged on to the pitch to celebrate and it led to an incident between one supporter and Eagles boss Vieira. One supporter filmed and taunted Vieira up close, leading to the Frenchman turning around and tripping over the supporter in question as he made his way back to the Eagles’ dressing room.
Asked about the incident at full-time, Lampard admitted he felt sorry for Vieira having to go across the pitch to the Eagles’ dressing room and wanted to invite Vieira back to Everton’s dressing room to avoid the crowds.
“I feel for Patrick because I didn’t get him at the end because of how it all erupted for us,” said Lampard. “I would have said: ‘Come in with us’ (into the Everton dressing-room area rather than the Crystal Palace area on the other side of the pitch).
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“They might not have wanted that but I’d have said: ‘Come in with us’. I know how managers feel and I get that. And of course, he’s running across the pitch of 80 yards of our fans coming on. It’s not easy. There’s nothing from me. Not any issues. It was pure elation of fans who want to stay in the Premier League that come on the pitch.”
Everton’s win leaves them four points clear of the bottom three going into the final day of the season, meaning that Leeds United or Burnley will be relegated on Sunday alongside Watford and Norwich City, who have both already been relegated for a number of weeks.
Had Everton been relegated, not only would it have been for the first time in the Premier League era, it would have also been the first time in over 70 years that they would have dropped down to the second tier.
Lampard had no problem with fans celebrating on the pitch, given the dramatic nature of the win, but only if it is conducted in the right way. “I can’t complain when I’m on the directors’ box in front of them,” Lampard added.
“It was a special moment for the football club. If done in the right way, let them stay on the pitch for a bit. As long as everyone is behaving and we don’t see scenes like the other night, everyone is behaving, happy and go home. That’s what football is all about.
“What are we going to do, handcuff them to the seats when we go 2-0 down and win 3-2 and stay in the league? As long as they behave, no problem.”
