Arsenal and Manchester City have both been charged with failing to control their players during their clash on Wednesday evening. Tensions threatened to boil over on several occasions throughout the match, with the FA keen to stamp out misconduct.
City were victorious on the night, moving back to the top of the table for the first time since November - though their title rivals do have a game in hand. Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring for Pep Guardiola’s side when he capitalised on a lapse back-pass from Takehiro Tomiyasu to silence the Emirates Stadium with a delightful chip.
The Gunners then hit back from the penalty spot through Bukayo Saka before the break, with the equaliser proving to spark City into life ahead of a drama-filled second half. Goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland ensured that City continued their good form and heaped the pressure on Arsenal as they find themselves on the backfoot in the title race.
With so much at stake, there were several flashpoints throughout the match and the FA have taken action against both teams as they look to stop players from crowding around officials after decisions. They released a statement on Friday that read: “Arsenal and Manchester City have been charged after their players surrounded the match official at different times during the Premier League fixture on Wednesday 15 February.
Both title contenders have been charged (Image: Getty)
"It's alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion, with Arsenal's players surrounding the match official during the 56th minute, and Manchester City's doing so during the 42nd and 64th minutes. Both clubs have until Tuesday 21 February to provide their respective responses."
City have been charged with failing to control their players in two separate incidents, with the first coming late in the first half after Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty when Ederson was adjudged to have brought down Eddie Nketiah as he tried to get his shot away. The City players flocked around the official to protest against the decision, feeling that the striker had already got his shot away before contact was made.
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Gabriel was booked before VAR intervened (Image: Getty)
They also surrounded the referee in the 64th minute after they felt that Nketiah should have been sent off for a late challenge on Ruben Dias, though Taylor felt that a yellow card was sufficient punishment.
Arsenal were charged by the FA for surrounding Taylor in the second half after a penalty was awarded to City following a tangle between Gabriel and Erling Haaland. The striker looked to have broken free from the Brazilian defender before hitting the deck inside the box, with the Gunners stars protesting that both players were being equally physical. Though their pleas were wasted as VAR intervened to rule that Haaland was in an offside position before racing through on goal. It remains to be seen whether either side responds to the charges or would rather accept the misconduct and focus on their respective title charges.