The Football Association is to "take a close look" at two incidents involving Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor from Saturday's game against Arsenal.
The first focuses on his clash with Robin van Persie, who claims Adebayor deliberately stamped on him.
The second concerns Adebayor's baiting of Arsenal fans after scoring the third of his side's four goals at Eastlands.
FA chief Ian Watmore, "unimpressed" with Adebayor's actions, said the FA would examine the incidents on Monday.
"Our governance team will take a good look at both of the incidents that have been highlighted and will come to the media with the answers early next week," he told Radio 5 live's Sportsweek show.
 | PHIL McNULTY BLOG |
"The punishments are the decision of the individual commission, if we get that far."
Adebayor, a £25m summer signing from Arsenal, escaped sanction from referee Mark Clattenburg following the Van Persie incident.
After avoiding his opponent's sliding tackle in the middle of the field, the Togo international's right boot caught the Dutchman in the face, leaving him needing treatment for a cut.
"I was trying to kick the ball," Adebayor told Sky Sports after the match. "I see him tackling and I don't have time to take my feet back because I'm trying to kick the ball.
"My feet touch his head. I feel sorry for him and even straight away, and at the end of the game, I said sorry."
However, Van Persie, 26, subsequently claimed Adebayor had deliberately set out to injure him.
In a statement on Arsenal's official website, Van Persie said he was "sad and disappointed" by Adebayor's "mindless and malicious stamp".
Adebayor apologies for goal celebration
He added: "He set out to hurt me today. I do feel lucky that I have not received a greater injury.
"I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made.
"He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful.
"The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It's bad for the game we all love."
He continued: "We are both professional footballers and I know that the game is physical. I, too, have made hard and sometimes mis-timed challenges but never with the intention of hurting an opponent.
"He has shown a real lack of class, to me and the fans.
"We do not hide from the disappointment of losing the match but I need to speak out about his behaviour."
Arsenal lacked sharpness - Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he wanted to see a replay before deciding whether there was any intent on Adebayor's behalf.
"I didn't really see what happened," said the Frenchman.
"I have to see it again to see if it was on purpose or not. I can't say anything at the moment."
City boss Mark Hughes also said he had not seen the incident but admitted he would be disappointed if it was allowed to overshadow a thrilling victory, in which five goals were scored in an amazing half-hour blitz in the second half.
"We are hopeful that the game itself will be the shining light rather than any one incident," said Hughes.
"We do not want it to cast a shadow on an outstanding game, but we will have to see what happens."
Most of the talk immediately following the game centred on Adebayor's inflammatory goal celebration.
After scoring City's third goal 10 minutes from time, he ran the length of the field and slid on his knees right in front of the stand containing the visiting Arsenal supporters.
"The emotion took over me," admitted Adebayor, 26. "Now I just have to say sorry."
Important win for Man City - Hughes
He added: "When I score a goal, for two or three seconds I can't control myself. To be honest, I'm very sorry for all this.
"Before the game, people have been saying and writing things. The emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave."
It later emerged that a match steward needed hospital treatment after being hit by a flying object in the wake of Adebayor's goal celebration.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "The steward received a head injury from a flying object which appeared to have been thrown from the direction of the away end.
"We were told the steward was unconscious for a few seconds before being taken to hospital and later discharged."
The spokesman, who could not confirm whether the steward was male or female, said police would investigate the assault.
No comments:
Post a Comment