The Football Association has banned Manchester United’s Jonny Evans for six games and Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse for seven matches for spitting. Defender Evans, 27, had denied the charge which related to an incident with striker Cisse in the Red Devils’ 1-0 win over the Magpies on Wednesday.
Cisse, 29, is suspended for an extra game as he was banned in December for elbowing Everton’s Seamus Coleman. There is no right of appeal and the bans will take immediate effect.
As a result, Northern Ireland international Evans will miss Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. “Mr Evans denied the charge but it was found proven,” said an FA statement.
Games Evans and Cisse will miss (Premier League unless stated) Jonny Evans: Arsenal (H – FA Cup), Tottenham (H), Liverpool (A), Aston Villa (H), Manchester City (H), Chelsea (A – or FA Cup semi-final) Papiss Cisse: Everton (A), Arsenal (H), Sunderland (A), Liverpool (A), Tottenham (H), Swansea (H), Leicester (A)
The flashpoint between the two was not seen by referee Anthony Taylor or his assistants, but was caught on video.
A three-man panel of former referees reviewed the footage on Thursday and agreed the players should have been sent off, prompting the FA to bring a charge. Evans’ statement on Thursday said: “I would like to make it clear that I did not spit at Papiss Cisse. Having woken up this morning, I am shocked to have seen the media coverage from last night’s match.”
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said: “I don’t think Jonny Evans is a spitter. He was not aware he was spitting. He has said that also. I believe him. For me, the matter is done.”
After accepting the charge for his role in the altercation, Senegalese Cisse issued an apology, adding: “I reacted to something I found very unpleasant.” An independent regulatory commission heard the charge and decided both players should be banned.
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Source: BBC