Chelsea, Everton Charged by FA: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction
The English Football Association has officially charged Chelsea and Everton for failing to control their players during Wednesday's Premier League match following an incident which occurred near the end of the fixture.
In a statement made via its official website, the FA explained the decision, while also clarifying Blues defender Branislav Ivanovic will not be charged for his role in the incident after making contact with James McCarthy:
"Both Chelsea and Everton have been charged by The FA for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.
It follows an incident in the 86th minute of Wednesday night’s game at Stamford Bridge.
Both clubs have until 6pm on 17 February 2015 to respond to the charge.
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Chelsea and Everton played out a close and entertaining match on Wednesday, with the Blues scoring a last-minute winner through Willian. Tempers flared in the 86th minute, as Ivanovic appeared to put the Everton midfielder in an apparent choke-hold, as shared by Eurosport.com, before making contact with his forehead:
Opinions on whether or not the full-back deserved a severe punishment were divided—ITV Football's poll was all but split down the middle—but it seems the FA has dismissed the case completely.
The match official was standing less than two feet from Ivanovic when the incident occurred and never brandished the red card, so a retroactive ban always seemed unlikely.
The two clubs won't escape punishment, however, and given the way the late-match incident spiralled out of control, the decision of the FA shouldn't come as a huge shock. Both clubs have until Tuesday to respond to the charge and will likely face a hefty fine.
