ARSENAL manager Bruce Rioch has escaped punishment for a touchline flare-up during his club's 2-0 League Cup quarter-final win over Newcastle last month. But be was warned by the Football Association yesterday that he would be charged if he stepped out of line again.
Rioch, looking to ease debate about his future at Highbury with a win in tonight's semi-final first leg against Aston Villa (ITV, 8.0), was clearly regarded as the main protagonist in what he described as "an aggressive verbal confrontation" with Newcastle's assistant manager Terry McDermott.
The pair had to be kept apart by Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan and stewards during a heated clash after Newcastle's David Ginola had been controversially dismissed.
Arsenal, still without Tony Adams, David Platt and Ray Parlour, have gained the release of Dennis Bergkamp and Glenn Helder from Dutch international duty and are likely to field an unchanged side tonight.
Aston Villa manager Brian Little is keeping Paul McGrath waiting, after resting him for Saturday's win at Bolton, where Steve Staunton impressed.
Nottingham Forest manager Frank Clark admitted a 3-0 win flattered his side in their FA Cup fourth-round replay at Oxford last night. Kevin Campbell netted in the 40th minute before Ian Woan slotted home an 85th-minute penalty and Italian Andi Silenzi completed the scoring three minutes later.
