The increased fine the FA initially planned to give Frank Lampard for Liverpool penalty comments

Frank Lampard was hit with a £30,000 fine by the Football Association (FA) last month.

The Everton boss received the punishment for comments he made after the 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on 24 April.

Lampard rued that the Toffees were not awarded a penalty when Anthony Gordon went down inside the area following a collision with Reds defender Joel Matip when the game was goalless.

Lampard claimed that referee Stuart Attwell would have given the decision had it happened to Liverpool's Mo Salah at the other end.

In his post-match interview, he said: “It is a penalty for me. You don’t get them here. If that was Mo Salah at the other end he gets a penalty. I’m not trying to create conflict; it’s just the reality of football.

“I have played in teams in the top half of the league – you get them. That was a penalty for sure. It’s a clear foul.”

As a result, Lampard was deemed to have breached FA Rule E.3 and E3.1 and punished accordingly.

However, it can be revealed that the FA, in fact, were 'initially minded' to slap Lampard with a £45,000 punishment.

What’s been said

A document on the FA's website that details the Independent Regulatory Commission meeting on 30 May, reads: “Having determined that a financial penalty was an appropriate one and having regard to all the submissions made and information available, the Commission was initially minded to impose a sanction of a fine of £45,000.

“However, having regard to matters raised in mitigation, as discussed above, the Commission considers that the appropriate sanction is a fine in the sum of £30,000.”

Mr Matthew Bennett of Centrefield LLP, mitigating on behalf of Lampard, said during the hearing: “Mr Lampard’s point during the press conference was a nuanced one, albeit one then based on Mr Lampard’s undoubted experience as a player and manager at the top level of the game as opposed to any particular statistical analysis, which was rather introduced to support Mr Lampard’s view.

“That nuanced point, which it was said was made without suggesting any bias or prejudice on the part of Match Officials, referred to the human reaction to the influence of a home crowd which means it is more likely that a home side will be awarded a penalty. This was the effect of the so-called ‘12th man’.”