LIVERPOOL striker Roberto Firmino is facing an FA investigaton after Mason Holgate accused the Brazilian of making racist comments during the Merseyside derby.
Everton youngster Holgate took serious offence to something the Brazilian said during the Reds’ thrilling 2-1 FA Cup derby win at Anfield.
Firmino was incensed after Holgate pushed him over the advertising board and into the crowd and charged at the Toffees defender while shouting something.
Referee Bobby Madley had to separate the pair but did not book either player.
A Liverpool spokesperson said: “The club and player will fully co-operate with the relevant authorities to ensure the facts are established in a thorough manner if deemed necessary or requested.
“Whilst the process is ongoing we will making any other comment.”
Toffees boss Sam Allardyce refused to confirm whether Holgate, 22, had complained of being racially abused.
He said: “I’m telling you nothing until whatever systems are used to find out what exactly happened and what didn’t happen.
“I’m here to talk about football, not controversial incidents. I want to talk about football because football is my life and anything else that happens outside of that has to be dealt with by the authorities.”
Asked if he’d spoken to Holgate about the incident, Allardyce added: “Even if I had or hadn’t I wouldn’t tell anybody today in this conference because that, for me, is in the other areas of the football club.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
“I’ve left the director of football today to sort that out.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed fourth official Jon Moss had spoken to him about the incident.
He said: “I heard about something but I can’t say anything so far.
“I haven’t spoken to anybody. From now on, the club will answer. I don’t really know anything about it.
“I misjudged that situation completely. I thought it was about Holgate’s foul. At the end there was no foul, no yellow card, nothing. I didn’t get it.
“I didn’t understand the whole situation but I got information after the game that something obviously happened.
“The fourth official said something to me. I never heard the words so I thought they were going to investigate the Holgate foul. That’s how I understood it.
“Then after the game… the fourth official informed me but it wasn’t that I really got it (what was happening).”