"Far worse than what Van Dijk said" "FA need to be consistent" - Fans want Premier League star banned as he appears to tell the referee to 'fu** off'

Fans online have reacted to Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford appearing to abuse the linesman in the Toffees' Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday, September 17.

Everton lost 1-0 at Goodison Park against the Gunners with substitute Leandro Trossard scoring a wonderful goal. During the game, Toffees' captain and goalkeeper Pickford was not happy with a decision from the linesman. While returning to take the goal kick, he was seen saying "Pr**ck" before adding "F**k Off".

Fans online have reacted to the clip asking the Englishman to be punished after Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk recently received a punishment for something similar.

In the Reds' 2-1 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League on August 27, Van Dijk was sent off for a last-man tackle on Alexander Isak. Furious with the decision, the Dutch defender said "f**king joke" to the referee about the decision before going into the tunnel.

Along with the one-game ban for the last-man tackle, Van Dijk also received a fine and a ban for his angry reaction towards the referee. Fans online want a similar punishment for Pickford as one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

Here are some more reactions from fans after Pickford appeared to abuse the referee in the Premier League clash against Arsenal:

Four teams remain unbeaten after Premier League's Matchday 5

The 2023-24 Premier League season has started well, with some big games and drama already seen.

Matchday 5 will end on Monday (September 18) with Nottingham Forest's home clash against Burnley. After five games, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal remain the only four unbeaten teams in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool continued their winning run by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at the Molineux Stadium on Saturday (September 16). Manchester City ended West Ham United's unbeaten run on the same day, beating them 3-1 at the London Stadium.

Tottenham prevented a loss against Sheffield United at home as they came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1, with goals in the 98th and 100th minutes. Arsenal also secured a comfortable 1-0 victory against Everton at the Goodison Park on Sunday.

Manchester City lead the Premier League table with 15 points five wins from five games. Spurs (2nd), Liverpool (3rd) and Arsenal (4th) are tied on 13 points but separated by goal difference.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 3 years. He boasts a total experience of over 6 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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