Cody Gakpo avoids a ban over goal celebration on Sunday as FA set to issue stern reminder | OneFootball

Cody Gakpo won’t face a suspension over his goal celebration in Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, although the Reds forward is set to receive a formal reprimand.

After netting his team’s third goal on the day that they clinched the Premier League title, the 25-year-old removed his LFC shirt to reveal a vest with the message ‘I Belong to Jesus’, duly receiving an obligatory yellow card from referee Thomas Bramall for taking off his jersey.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Dutchman could face disciplinary action for an apparent breach of a rule from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) prohibiting the displaying of ‘political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images’.

Gakpo to receive FA warning over religious slogan

According to a further update from the Daily Mail this morning, the Football Association are expected to issue a formal warning to Gakpo reminding him of his responsibilities in regard to the aforementioned law, although the Liverpool forward won’t face any further action beyond that.

It isn’t the first instance this season that the FA have sent a reminder to a Premier League player over kit regulations, having reprimanded Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi for wearing rainbow armbands in successive fixtures on which he’d written ‘I love Jesus’ and ‘Jesus loves you’.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Let that be the end of the matter…

At least the authorities have used some common sense towards Gakpo over the message on his vest on Sunday – it would’ve been downright ridiculous to issue a ban over something of that nature – but the whole matter smacks of a storm in a teacup.

We understand why certain rules are in place regarding political or religious slogans so that provocative statements about sensitive topics aren’t freely expressed, but in truth there are far bigger problems in English football than what a player wears on his vest.

Six years after its implementation in the Premier League, the haphazard application of VAR continues to baffle supporters up and down the country, while the case of Manchester City’s 115 charges for alleged financial fair play breaches has still not been resolved.

Once the FA have said their piece to Gakpo, that should be the end of the matter, and it certainly won’t be allowed to spoil the gleeful mood among Liverpool supporters after league title number 20 was secured at the weekend!