EPL: Manchester City and Chelsea charged by FA over all-in melee

Manchester City and Chelsea have been charged by the FA over a mass brawl near the end of their match on Saturday.

Chelsea and Manchester City player square off at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Manchester City and Chelsea have been charged with failing to control their players during Saturday’s English Premier League match, the FA announced.

City striker Sergio Aguero’s reckless tackle on Chelsea defender David Luiz in stoppage time sparked a melee at Etihad Stadium, with players and coaching staff from both teams involved in ugly scenes. City’s Aguero and Fernandinho were sent off and will serve four- and three-game bans respectively.

“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,” the FA said in a statement.

The clubs have until 6pm on December 8 to respond to the charges.

Leaders Chelsea won the match 3-1 to move four points clear of fourth-placed City.

West Bromwich Albion and Watford were also charged for failing to control their players in Saturday’s league game at the Hawthorns, won by WBA 3-1.

In the 84th minute, Watford’s Roberto Pereyra was sent off after reacting angrily to a hard challenge from James McClean, resulting in a touchline clash involving both sets of players.  Meanwhile, the draw for the third round of the FA Cup has given former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam the opportunity to return to Old Trafford in January, after the Championship side he manages, Reading, were drawn to meet the cup holders.

The 44-year-old Stam — who won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the 1999 Champions League during his three-year stay at United — has said he fears for his job if a proposed takeover of Reading goes through, despite guiding them to third on the table.

In a draw short of the ‘romance of the Cup’ the remaining non-league clubs failed to get paired with a Premier League club. There are, however, four all- Premier League ties.

The most eye-catching is Everton hosting struggling champions Leicester City, with both those sides’ realistic hopes of domestic silverware this season reduced to the FA Cup.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City face a potentially tricky trip to West Ham, while four of the Premier League’s relegation battlers have been pitched against each other, with Hull hosting Swansea, and Sunderland at home to Burnley.

Agencies