Everton fan slaps Crystal Palace player on bottom during frantic touchline melee

Plenty of Everton fans wanted to give their team a pat on the back last night after they pulled off a remarkable comeback win against Crystal Palace to ensure their Premier League survival.

However, one went even further and gave an opposition player a slap on the backside during the frantic touchline melee in the game.

A video from Thursday's match sees a woman in the crowd taking issue with Palace defender Joachim Andersen, who was attempting to retrieve the ball from Everton’s Dele Alli.

After Andersen attracted the ire of the crowd for tussling with Alli, he retrieved the ball – only to be slapped on the behind by the woman in the stands.

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Very cheeky indeed, and it was only one of the unusual scenes from Everton’s Goodison Park on the night.

Fans rushed onto the pitch after the 3-2 win, with Evertonians confronting opposition manager Patrick Vieira after the final whistle went.

Vieira appeared to kick one of the fans, while being pushed by other fans on the pitch, one of whom had a child on his shoulders, in ugly scenes captured by the Sky Sports cameras.

Vieira did not comment on the incident which was picked up after his post-game press conference, but Everton manager Frank Lampard offered his support.

“I feel for Patrick. I didn’t get him at the end. I would have said, ‘come in with us’ – although he might not have wanted that.

“Of course he ran 80 yards across the pitch and it’s not easy.”

The pitch invasion came after Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the winner with five minutes to go which secured Everton’s top-flight status with one match remaining.

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