Coaches from Liverpool and Newcastle United have received their punishments from the Football Association after emotions spilled over during last month's Premier League clash between the two sides.
The Reds edged out a dramatic victory over their visitors at Anfield thanks to a last-gasp Fabio Carvalho strike deep into added time. The late winner prompted raucous celebrations around the stadium - and a bust-up between rival coaches on the touchline.
Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg could be seen making an explicit gesture with his hand towards the Newcastle dugout, while Magpies head of performance Daniel Hodges was also involved in the heated altercation. The duo have since been fined four-figure sums and banned from the touchline for one fixture each.
An FA statement read: "Coaches from Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC have been banned, fined and warned for breaching FA Rule E3 during their Premier League game on Wednesday 31 August 2022. John Achterberg and Daniel Hodges both admitted that their behaviour during the 98th minute was improper, and the Liverpool FC coach also accepted that he used abusive and insulting gestures.
"An independent Regulatory Commission has fined the Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC coaches £7,000 and £6,000 respectively, banned them from the touchline for one fixture, and warned them as to their future conduct. The written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course."
FA Rule E3.1 states "a Participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour".
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and his colleagues had been enraged throughout a feisty fixture by what they saw as gamesmanship and time-wasting from Newcastle players. Meanwhile, the Magpies were understandably aggrieved to have conceded in the 98th minute despite the fourth official only signalling for five minutes to be added on.
Speaking after the match, Klopp said: "I had no idea if that tonight was on purpose or if their players really had to go down because slightly injured. I don't know. The game was just interrupted constantly for some reason and that doesn't give you the momentum. There was no chance to gain any kind of momentum."
In response, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said: "Liverpool had an extra day and of course the conditions of the game. It was a bit bitty in the second half with substitutions and there was certainly no gamesmanship on our side. That's just the way the game went."
