Neil Maupay was involved in an altercation with Everton fans as the players boarded a train back from London on Saturday night. Maupay was an unused substitute as the Toffees were hammered 4-0 at Tottenham on Saturday, prompting an angry reaction from visiting supporters.
And their frustration lingered long after the final whistle, culminating in ugly scenes at Euston Station.
Groups of fans gathered waiting for the squad, and upon their arrival duly shouted obscenities at players as they walked towards the carriages.
On a video posted on social media, French forward Maupay appeared to take the brunt of the anger. And the 28-year-old refused to pass by quietly, exacerbating the unsavoury scenes by turning around and shouting back.
Maupay later used his X account to condemn the fan behaviour, writing: “Imagine another job where it’s normalised to get abuse like this. Hanging around at a train station to scream at men who are trying their best…”
He wasn’t the only star targeted, with Mason Holgate suffering similar treatment in the toxic atmosphere. Like Maupay, the centre back didn’t even take to the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, left on the bench as the hosts ran riot.
As the footage was widely shared, club fan group @thebullensview stated on X: “After a video of Everton fans went viral this evening abusing the playing squad, we wanted to point out this was just a minority of supporters. Whilst we do not speak for everyone, we’d like to think Everton fans do not condone this sort of behaviour.”
Tension around the club is only likely to ramp up this week. Goodison Park will play host to Everton’s Carabao Cup clash with Doncaster on Tuesday, before a top-flight fixture against Bournemouth next weekend.
But despite the harrowing results and fragmented squad, manager Sean Dyche has revealed he’s unlikely to make any new signings before the summer transfer deadline on August 30. The club has seen two takeovers collapse this summer, with bith 777 Partners and US company Friedkin Group withdrawing from proposed deals.
And Dyche has warned the club may even need to make more player sales before Friday. Maupay and Holgate, who both spent the 2023/24 season out on loan, are likely to be in the frame to be moved on.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk