FIRM Liverpool rocked by Holgate allegations
complained to referee Bobby Madley. And Liverpool are ready to do whatever it takes to get to the truth.
A club source said: “We are committed to treating any process with the respect it deserves.”
The race row could also be investigated by the Merseyside Police, following the decision to charge John Terry (below) with a racially aggravated offence in October 2011 after comments he made during Chelsea’s Premier League clash at QPR.
The police have yet to receive a complaint.
But, as Holgate spent yesterday morning warming down with his team-mates at their Finch Farm training ground, Everton officials confirmed that they will not be commenting further, following the announcement that the FA are on the case.
The unsavoury incident was sparked when Holgate pushed Firmino over advertising hoardings and into front-row seats in the Main Stand.
Sunday Mirror’s evidence also revealed that the Liverpool striker shouted at Holgate the Portuguese phrase ‘Es maluco, filho da puta?”, which translates as “Are you crazy, you son of a bitch?”.
But there was no footage from the six clips reviewed by the lip reader to support Holgate’s claim that he had been racially abused.
Liverpool are treating the matter with utmost care after learning valuable lessons from the Luis Suarez race row in 2011.
The Uruguayan striker was banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 after an FA disciplinary commission ruled that he had racially abused Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Kop boss Kenny Dalglish was criticised after his players wore T-shirts in support of Suarez when they warmed up before a game against Wigan.
And the Merseyside club also used a previous complaint by Evra that he had been racially abused at Chelsea in 2008 to suggest that the Frenchman was not a credible witness.
Suarez admitted that he used the word “negrito” – but that the term is not regarded as racist in South America.
He was still protesting his innocence when his autobiography went to print in 2014. Liverpool will now strive to ensure they do not make the same errors of judgement.
Only last month, rising Reds star Rhian Brewster spoke out powerfully about the issue of racism and the failure of the football authorities to address the issue properly.
The 17-year-old – the leading tournament goalscorer when England won the Under-17 World Cup in India last year – claims that he has been racially insulted at least seven times by opponents.
Chelsea captain Terry was charged by police with using racist language to QPR defender Anton Ferdinand – but was cleared of the allegation at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. However, the England defender was later banned for four games and fined £220,000, following an FA investigation into the incident.
An FA statement confirmed that referee Madley had mentioned Friday night’s incident in his report.
It read: “The FA can confirm that referee Bobby Madley was made aware of an allegation during the Liverpool versus Everton game at Anfield last night and has subsequently reported this to the FA, which will now begin making enquiries into the matter.”
Kick It Out have also reported the incident.