After receiving a red card at Newcastle, Virgil van Dijk was fined £100,000 for using “abusive and insulting” language. This is one of the FA’s highest-ever punishments.
In Liverpool’s final 2-1 victory at St James’ Park, Van Dijk was shown the door for a last-man challenge on Alexander Isak but he did not leave the field.
Before an altercation with fourth official Craig Pawson as he was leaving the field of play, Liverpool captain argued with referee John Brooks, calling his decision a “fucking joke.”
Friday brought the news that the FA had fined and suspended Van Dijk for an additional game following a probe by an independent regulatory body.
Surprisingly, that £100,000 fine is among the highest ever imposed on a player in the Premier League.
There aren’t many occasions where a player has been fined more, but one of them is John Terry, who was assessed a £220,000 punishment after being found guilty of assaulting Anton Ferdinand racially on the field during a Chelsea-QPR game in 2011.
Another was the £150,000 fine handed down to Roy Keane for knowingly wounding Alf-Inge Haaland in a 2001 Manchester derby.
There haven’t been many other player fines of six figures, though Terry and Keane both had suspensions that were lengthier than Van Dijk’s — Terry for four games and Keane for five.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was fined £75,000 and given an eight-game suspension in April of this year for assaulting referee Chris Kavanagh and using “improper, abusive, insulting, and threatening” behaviour during Fulham’s FA Cup defeat to Man United.
Further back, Joey Barton was given a notorious red card in QPR’s 3-2 loss to Man City in 2012 and was given a 12-game suspension as well as £75,000.
Back then, Joey Barton was given a notorious red card in QPR’s 3-2 loss to Man City, earning him a 12-game suspension and £75,000.
After kneeing Sergio Aguero and attempting to headbutt Vincent Kompany, Barton elbowed Carlos Tevez in the face, received a red card, and then yelled at referee Mike Dean before leaving the field.
For headbutting Hull midfielder David Meyler in 2014, then-Newcastle manager Alan Pardew received a £60,000 fine and a seven-game touchline suspension.
More troublingly, fines less severe than those levied against Van Dijk have frequently been applied in the past for racial insults from players or fans.
For racially insulting Patrice Evra in 2011, Luis Suarez was fined £40,000, while Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Castilla was fined £60,000 for doing the same to Jonathan Taylor of Charlton.
