Everton manager Frank Lampard has been fined £30,000 ($37,779) for criticising the referee during his side's defeat to Liverpool in last month's Merseyside derby, the Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday.
Referee Stuart Attwell did not award a penalty for a challenge on Everton's Anthony Gordon, and Lampard said the spot kick would have been given had the challenge been made on a Liverpool player.
- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access
"It was a penalty, you don't get them at Anfield," Lampard said after the match. "If that was Mohamed Salah at the Kop end, I think [the referee] gives that. It was a foul on Anthony."
Earlier this month, the FA charged Lampard with improper conduct for attacking the integrity of referees.
The 43-year-old denied the charge and has now been fined "for breaching FA Rule E3 in relation to media comments proven during a personal hearing," the FA said in a statement.
"The Everton FC manager... denied that they constitute improper conduct as they imply bias and/or attack the integrity of the match referee -- or referees generally -- and/or bring the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1," the FA added.
Lampard took over at Goodison Park in January with the club hovering above the Premier League relegation zone, but the English coach steered the side to a 16th place finish, securing their top-flight status for next season.