Four Premier League clubs have been charged with failing to control their players after a weekend in which there were two mass melees – but Cesc Fabregas has escaped further punishment.
Manchester City and Chelsea face action after the events at the Etihad on Saturday lunchtime, during the home side’s 3-1 defeat, as do West Bromwich Albion and Watford for a fiery encounter at the Hawthorns later that day.
Three red cards were shown in the two matches and players clashed towards the end of the two games leading to intervention by the Football Association.
The FA has also confirmed that City striker Sergio Agüero will receive a four-match ban for his second dismissal for violent conduct this season – following the high and late challenge on David Luiz, which sparked the melee – and midfielder Fernandinho will be banned for three games after clashing with Fabregas and eventually pushing him over an advertising hoarding.
The FA’s three-man panel of former referees also considered whether to take action against Fabregas but could not reach a unanimous verdict as to whether his behaviour deserved a red card. Consequently the Chelsea midfielder was not charged retrospectively as he could have been for an apparent slap that was not included in referee Anthony Taylor’s report.
Fabregas was booked by Taylor for “adopting an aggressive attitude” in the incident. Another Chelsea player, Nathaniel Chalobah, who pushed Agüero over, will face no action.
City manager Pep Guardiola will now consider whether to play Agüero in Tuesday night’s final Champions League qualifying tie – a ‘dead rubber’ with City through to the last 16 and Celtic out of Europe. Guardiola had originally intended to rest the striker but, given his ban, he may now feature as he will miss the Premier League matches against Leicester City, Watford, Arsenal and Hull City.
Fernandinho is already suspended for the Celtic match, as he serves a one-match European ban for the red card he received against Borussia Mönchengladbach last month.
City have effectively collected six red cards this season, five during play and one retrospectively, which was issued to Agüero after he was caught by television cameras in August elbowing Winston Reid, the West Ham United defender.
Guardiola, though, has played down claims that his team have a disciplinary problem. Instead, he suggested that it is unusual for a team who have enjoyed so much possession to collect so many red cards, in what could be perceived as a criticism of referees.
Guardiola said: “The referees, I don’t talk about. We are the best team with ball possession and with most red cards. It is a pity what happened in the last minute and of course we are going to accept the ban from the FA. We are going to work with other players for the next games.”
The Chelsea defeat has left Guardiola’s team without a home League victory since Sept 17, and with significant questions being asked about a defence that has kept just one clean sheet in the past 15 matches. But Guardiola insisted City are on course for a successful season. He said: “After our two away games at Crystal Palace and Burnley, I was worried. I thought that if we play like this, then we are not going to go anywhere. I know I have to adapt to English football. I’m not good enough to know immediately the way to play here. But for 60 minutes against Chelsea, we played well. We played faster than at [his former clubs,] Bayern Munich and even at Barcelona.”
The FA has also charged West Brom and Watford for what happened after Robert Pereyra clashed with James McClean towards the end of the 3-1 home victory. Pereyra was sent off for reacting violently with McClean – who was booked – having kicked a ball at him from close range. It has also been alleged that McClean stamped on Pereyra.
All four clubs have until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the charge, under Rule E20, with an independent regulatory commission then deciding what action to take. Previous behaviour will be taken into account with Chelsea now facing a sixth charge for this offence. Fines are expected.
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