Soccer

Chelsea and Manchester City charged over Etihad fracas

Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho banned for three and four games respectively after reds

Manchester City’s midfielder Fernandinho has been banned for three matches following his red card in Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea. Photograph: Afp/Paul Ellis
Manchester City’s midfielder Fernandinho has been banned for three matches following his red card in Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea. Photograph: Afp/Paul Ellis
Mon Dec 05 2016 - 14:48

Manchester City and Chelsea have been charged with failing to control their players in the bad-tempered conclusion to Saturday's Premier League clash, the Football Association has announced.

But Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has avoided censure for apparently striking Fernandinho during the bench-clearing melee.

City striker Sergio Aguero was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Chelsea defender David Luiz, prompting the furious finale at the end of Chelsea's 3-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.

City midfielder Fernandinho was sent off for shoving Fabregas and now serves a three-match ban.

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Aguero is banned for four matches, having already served a three-match suspension for violent conduct earlier this season.

Chelsea’s eighth straight Premier League win finished on a sour note and saw both title contenders charged. The clubs have until December 8th at 6pm to respond to the charges.

A statement from the FA read: “Both Manchester City and Chelsea have been charged for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.

“It follows an incident in the 95th minute of the game on Saturday (December 3rd, 2016).

“Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas will not face any further action in relation to an incident involving City’s Fernandinho.

“Off the ball incidents which are not seen at the time by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees.

“Each referee panel member will review the video footage independently of one another to determine whether they consider it a sending-off offence.

“For retrospective action to be taken, and an FA charge to follow, the decision of the panel must be unanimous.”

Fabregas was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor following the melee, for adopting an aggressive attitude. The apparent slap of Fernandinho was not seen, so it could be reviewed.

Aguero's offence was effectively his second dismissal of the season after he served a three-match ban for violent conduct, issued retrospectively after he was adjudged to have elbowed West Ham's Winston Reid in August.

The Argentina striker will miss City’s matches with Leicester, Watford, Arsenal and Hull this month. Fernandinho will be available for the Hull game on Boxing Day.

City defender Nicolas Otamendi received his fifth booking of the season to prompt an automatic one-match suspension, so City are without three players for Saturday's trip to Leicester.

The two red cards against Chelsea took City’s number of on-field dismissals to five in the early months of Pep Guardiola’s reign.

Fernandinho and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo were sent off in Champions League action, while Nolito was sent off in September's win over Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic and West Brom’s James McClean have avoided charges for tackles at the weekend.

Ibrahimovic was criticised for a challenge on Everton’s Seamus Coleman and McClean for a tackle on Watford’s Roberto Pereyra which resulted in a yellow card.

Both incidents were seen and dealt with by the match officials at the time.