Spitting Games: Twitter Reaction as Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse Charged by FA

Manchester United managed to keep their Champions League hopes alive with a narrow win over Newcastle on Wednesday evening, but the game will only be remembered for an unsavoury spitting incident in the first half...

As Papiss Cisse and Jonny Evans tussled, the defender appeared to spit at the striker, who duly reciprocated. The incident went unnoticed by the officials but certainly not by the TV cameras and those following the action on Twitter.

As events unfolded, #spitgate immediately started trending and fans assigned various levels of culpability to those involved...

Despite clear evidence of the incident being caught by TV cameras, Evans proceeded to deny that any saliva departed his mouth in the direction of Newcastle's No. 9 (as per the Guardian).

This unexpected first-hand interpretation of events was met with more than a little skepticism...

"

Video evidence PROVES a Jonny Evans spat at Cissè yet he still denies it? #NUFC pic.twitter.com/DHMoipDrF0

— Radgemaat (@Radgemaat) March 5, 2015"

"

How can Evans deny spitting at Cisse when it's caught as clear as day on camera? Unbelievable Jeff

— George Miller (@Georgee_Miller) March 5, 2015"

"

Johnny Evans should get a longer ban for coming out and telling a bare faced lie #spitgate

— James McGee (@JamesMcGeezer) March 5, 2015"

No sooner had the Northern Ireland defender proverbially spat out his denial then Cisse issued a non-specific apology—which may or may not have had anything to do with the fact that he potentially faces a longer ban because he accepted a violent conduct charge for elbowing Seamus Coleman earlier in the season.

The reaction was predominantly one of respect for the Senegalese forward, with many taking it as further opportunity to paint Evans as the bad guy...

"

Spitting is abhorrent. Cisse admitting to it doesn't make a difference.

— Joseph Bishop (@joecbishop) March 5, 2015"

The incident went unpunished at the time, but the FA confirmed the players will both be charged, subject to appeal...

Both players face an automatic six-game suspension if the charges are upheld, with Cisse potentially facing more down time because of his aforementioned violent conduct charge. The general consensus on Twitter was that both players deserved to be chewed out and spat out by the FA (sorry)... 

In the wake of the incident, the Guardian's Greg Bakowski questioned whether spitting is actually a very serious offence, and many agreed that the beautiful game has bigger fish to fry...

However, many more argued that being spat upon is the worst fate a person can suffer during a game...

Twitter may not be able to agree on the severity of spitting in the spectrum of unpleasant behaviour, but it seems likely that Evans and Cisse will both be given a lengthy amount of time to ponder their transgressions on the sidelines. 

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