Emmanuel Adebayor hit with two FA charges
Published 14:11 15/09/09 By By David McDonnell
Emmanuel Adebayor was charged with violent and improper conduct by the FA for his afternoon of madness against former club Arsenal.
The Manchester City striker is facing a three-match ban for violent conduct following a brutal challenge which left Arsenal forward Robin van Persie with a deep facial wound.
And Adebayor was hit with a second FA charge of improper conduct following his decision to run the length of the pitch and goal Arsenal fans after his goal in City's 4-2 win.
Adebayor and City have until 6pm today to respond to the violent conduct charge and until September 30 to reply to the FA over the lesser charge of improper conduct.
Adebayor maintained the gash he caused to van Persie's face with his studs was accidental and City boss Mark Hughes backed his player, claiming there was no malice involved.
But the FA's disciplinary panel thought otherwise, leaving Adebayor and City to decide whether to appeal against the charge and risk a lengthier ban or simply accept it.
City would only say last night that the club was "considering its position in relation to both charges" and would make public their decision today.
But accepting the violent conduct charge and three-match ban may be the best Adebayor and City can expect following the fall-out from the controversial episode with van Persie.
If Adebayor admits the violent conduct charge, he will be hit with an immediate three-match ban, ruling him out of Sunday's Manchester derby and City's next two games against Fulham and West Ham.
Yet if he decides to contest the charge, which seems unlikely, the FA's disciplinary panel would rule on the matter by 6pm on Thursday, with the prosepct of a heftier ban.
While Adebayor issued an apology for his conduct in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's game, there is said to be a mood within the FA to come down hard on the striker.
With the FA having invested significant time and huge finance in their ongoing Respect campaign, there is a feeling Adebayor will be hit hard by the game's governing body.
FA chief executive Ian Watmore, who was at the game between City and Arsenal, said he was "unimpressed" by Adebayor's conduct at Eastlands.
And Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said the Togo international's incendiary behaviour had been a "bad advert" for English football's worldwide image.
Adebayor's decision to sprint the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of Arsenal's fans, who had taunted him all afternoon, led to chatotic scenes of unrest in the away section.
While Adebayor could face an additional one-match ban for his goal celebration, City will cite the case involving Manchester United skipper Gary Neville in their defence.
Neville was fined £5,000 and warned about his future conduct for celebrating Rio Ferdinand’s stoppage-time winner against Liverpool in 2006 in front of the visiting fans.
