Allardyce addresses Holgate tweets

Sam Allardyce says Everton's players are fully aware of how to behave on social media, as the club waits to discover whether Mason Holgate will be punished by the Football Association for making alleged homophobic comments on social media several years ago.

The FA is aware of a series of now-deleted tweets, containing offensive language, that appeared on Holgate's verified Twitter account in 2012 and 2013 when the defender was a teenager.

It remains to be seen whether action will be taken against the 21-year-old, whose tweets emerged following last Friday's FA Cup third-round defeat to Liverpool. Holgate was involved in a furious row with Roberto Firmino in that match and the FA have launched an investigation after confirming referee Bobby Madley was made aware of an allegation during the game.

Asked about Holgate's tweets in a news conference, Everton boss Allardyce said: "We go through meeting after meeting, from all areas, through the FA, through the PFA. All of them [Everton's players] are shown what to do and what not to do.

"This is a historical tweet from many years ago so he [Holgate] doesn't need any reminding because all the players have already been made aware for more than this year.

"I think it's been going on for years that we've been pointing out to players what they do and what they don't do, and they're fully aware of that.

"It's obviously not in my hands whatever the situation is now, but we will find out if and when what the course of action is."

Holgate has started seven of Everton's last nine Premier League games. The Toffees face Tottenham at Wembley on Saturday.