The English Football Association has thrown the book at Arsenal and, to a lesser extent, Manchester United over the clashes that erupted at the end of their goalless draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Arsenal took the brunt of the blame for the chaotic scenes that followed a dramatic finale to the match in which Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira was sent off and Ruud van Nistelrooy missed an injury time penalty.
A total of six of the London club’s players were charged by the FA on Wednesday over their individual behaviour, three of them with violent conduct linked to the brutal jostling of Van Nistelrooy after the final whistle.
The club itself faces a hefty fine or possibly even the deduction of points after being charged with misconduct for failing to control its players.
In 1990, the FA deducted two points from Arsenal and one from Manchester United after a mass brawl during a match at Old Trafford.
Manchester United were not completely absolved of blame for the latest clash with two players, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo, charged with misconduct, and a third, Phil Neville, warned regarding his future conduct.
The Arsenal players charged with violent conduct were defenders Martin Keown and Lauren and midfielder Ray Parlour.
Vieira, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and England fullback Ashley Cole face lesser charges of improper conduct.
Suspensions are certain for players charged with violent conduct if the charges are upheld after the two weeks allowed to the clubs to appeal. Those charged with improper conduct could escape with fines.
Arsenal’s board of directors hinted that the club could take its own disciplinary measures — distancing themselves from manager Arsene Wenger, who had defended his players immediately after the match.
”The club demands high standards both on and off the field and the board believes these were not met last Sunday,” the Arsenal statement said.
It added: ”Arsene Wenger has already addressed the players on this issue.”
United reacted to the charges against Giggs and Ronaldo by calling in lawyers to discuss fighting them.
”We have received the details of the charges from the FA and we are currently reviewing them internally with our lawyers, the manager and the players involved,” the club said in a statement.
Even if Arsenal avoid having points deducted, the fallout from Sunday’s match looks set to have a major impact on their efforts to reclaim the Premiership title from United.
Their hugely influential skipper Vieira is already facing an automatic one-match ban as a result of the red card he received at Old Trafford for kicking out at Van Nistelrooy.
That will mean he misses next month’s game against Chelsea and the FA could add a further ban for his failure to leave the field after being sent off, his attempts to confront Van Nistelrooy and a verbal exchange with the fourth official.
On top of that, Wenger could find his defensive resources stretched to breaking point if, as seems virtually certain, Lauren and Keown are both banned as a result of the violent conduct charges laid on Wednesday.
England centreback Sol Campbell, who missed Sunday’s match, was already facing a ban of up to three games for kicking United’s Eric Djemba-Djemba during the Community Shield match last month.
The latest charges have once more turned the spotlight on Arsenal’s poor disciplinary record under their French manager Wenger, who has become famous for his repeated failure to see on-the-field incidents in which his players have been at fault.
Since Wenger took over in 1996, Arsenal players have lost 148 games to suspension, more than 20 matches a season. Vieira alone has missed the equivalent of half a season.
In those seven years, they have received 52 red cards, compared with 21 for United in the same period.
Earlier Wednesday, FA chief executive Mark Palios said the game’s governing body in England was planning a disciplinary crackdown in the wake of Sunday’s scenes with swifter punishment for ”unacceptable forms of behaviour” by players.
”The range of punishments for particular types of unacceptable behaviour need to be appropriate and be seen to be appropriate,” Palios said.
”Furthermore, the process must be as speedy as justice allows and certainly speedier than it has been in the past. We must concentrate on the time it takes to issue charges as well as to conclude cases.”
The conduct of the players involved in Sunday’s clashes has prompted a national outcry. British Minister of Sport Richard Caborn accused them of setting a terrible example that would be copied by children up and down the country. — Sapa-AFP