Arsenal and Chelsea face disciplinary action from the English Football Association after the mass brawl that marred their League Cup final clash on Sunday.
Arsenal duo Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel were all sent off by referee Howard Webb in stoppage time of Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Toure provoked the fight when he pushed Mikel after having his shirt pulled by the midfielder. Adebayor was involved in the shoving match that followed Toure and Mikel’s clash, but it appeared Emmanuel Eboue was more guilty after striking Wayne Bridge.
Togo striker Adebayor, who had to be led off by Arsenal physio Gary Lewin, insisted he did not deserve to be sent off, but he is likely to face punishment for initially refusing to leave the field.
Adebayor, Toure and Mikel are all likely to be handed three-match suspensions, while Eboue could also be banned.
Both London clubs could also be charged by the FA with failing to control their players and could face heavy fines.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and his Chelsea counterpart both came on to the pitch to try to restrain their players in an extraordinary finale to a dramatic match.
Wenger said: ”I am worried we will be punished. When the FA are involved it is always better to worry.”
Mourinho admitted the FA are certain to act and he added: ”If the players did something wrong they have to be punished and be suspended for one or two matches and we managers have to educate them, but it was not a violent game.”
Didier Drogba’s late winner won the Cup for Chelsea after he had earlier cancelled out Theo Walcott’s first-ever goal for Arsenal. — AFP
