Gary Neville was fined £10,000 for his overzealous celebration of a late winner against Liverpool in 2006, despite attempting to bring Steven Gerrard down with him, the pundit has revealed.
The former Manchester United right-back was forced to defend himself to the FA after running the length of the Old Trafford pitch to goad Liverpool fans after Rio Ferdinand nicked a 1-0 win.
To try to sneak out of a fine, the Englishman brought up similar celebrations to his that went unpunished - including one of countryman Gerrard.
Back in 2001, Gerrard celebrated a trademark screamer in the Merseyside derby by sprinting alongside Everton fans and cupping his ear, as Liverpool beat their rivals 3-1 at Goodison Park.
'Do you know this celebration? I used this celebration in my evidence,' Neville told Gerrard as the pair watched highlights of the Rangers boss' career on Sky Sports Soccerbox.
'You know when I went up to the Liverpool fans after the game and I got fined.
'I used your celebration, I sort of grassed on you. I said 'look he did this and you didn't fine him'.
'It's some goal though isn't it.'
In response Gerrard said: 'It was one of my favourite goals because of where it is and who it was against.
'All the build up two weeks that before was "You've got to beat them, you've got to beat them. Make sure they don't beat us." I know you had a similar thing with Manchester City.
'There was always a bigger satisfaction when you scored against Everton.'
Neville and Gerrard shared plenty of heated derbies between United and Liverpool, and linked up for England in World Cups and European Championships, with 199 international caps between them.
naomnsuz
6
Gerrard will always be a gentleman and liked Scholes a lot bcz of his ball distribution. These guys would have won more trophies for England if the coaches they had played them in there right positions