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Police probe player abuse claims | Police probe player abuse claims |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Police are to speak to Liverpool and Everton football clubs about allegations that players were abused during the city's derby game. | Police are to speak to Liverpool and Everton football clubs about allegations that players were abused during the city's derby game. |
Officers will probe claims that Everton captain Phil Neville was spat at and punched as he took a throw-in. | |
Police will also look at reports that other fans chanted comments about the daughter of Liverpool captain and England international Steven Gerrard. | Police will also look at reports that other fans chanted comments about the daughter of Liverpool captain and England international Steven Gerrard. |
Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 in the match at Anfield on Sunday. | Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 in the match at Anfield on Sunday. |
Television cameras appeared to capture Neville being abused by several fans in the second half of the game. | Television cameras appeared to capture Neville being abused by several fans in the second half of the game. |
Gerrard also faced an apparent torrent of abuse as he walked to take a corner in front of Everton fans in the second half. | Gerrard also faced an apparent torrent of abuse as he walked to take a corner in front of Everton fans in the second half. |
We want to make sure that doesn't happen again at the Merseyside derby or any other game Ian Ross, Everton spokesman | We want to make sure that doesn't happen again at the Merseyside derby or any other game Ian Ross, Everton spokesman |
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: "Police will be speaking to the clubs involved today." | A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: "Police will be speaking to the clubs involved today." |
Dave Lewis, the force's football liaison officer, who travels abroad with the teams when they play in Europe, will conduct the discussions. | Dave Lewis, the force's football liaison officer, who travels abroad with the teams when they play in Europe, will conduct the discussions. |
A spokesman for Liverpool FC was not immediately available for comment. | A spokesman for Liverpool FC was not immediately available for comment. |
Prevent contact | |
Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: "We felt it necessary to try to involve the safety officers and police because we cannot have a situation where supporters are having physical contact with professional footballers during the game. | Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: "We felt it necessary to try to involve the safety officers and police because we cannot have a situation where supporters are having physical contact with professional footballers during the game. |
"We want to make sure that doesn't happen again at the Merseyside derby or any other game." | "We want to make sure that doesn't happen again at the Merseyside derby or any other game." |
He added that the club would never condone the singling out of individual players for vitriolic insults. | |
He also said that Joleon Lescott had been subjected to an afternoon-long barrage of "quite disgusting and quite audible abuse" and that Phil Neville was spat at several times and punched in the back by a supporter. | |
The match - traditionally one of Europe's most passionate derbies - had been billed as vital in both clubs' race for the Premiership's fourth place. | The match - traditionally one of Europe's most passionate derbies - had been billed as vital in both clubs' race for the Premiership's fourth place. |
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