Bournemouth claim it is "extraordinary" for Tyrone Mings to have been found guilty of a stamp on Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic which will see the defender serve a five-match ban.
Ibrahimovic was suspended for three games after he accepted a violent conduct charge from the Football Association after striking Mings in the face with his elbow when the defender had moments earlier landed with his boot on the head of the Swedish striker.
Mings has, though, been given a longer suspension following an independent regulatory commission hearing at which the player contested both the charge and the claim.
The FA stated the standard punishment of three matches for the misconduct committed would have been “clearly insufficient”.
Bournemouth, though, continue to protest Mings’ innocence, but nevertheless must now face up to being without the defender until the trip to Tottenham on April 15th as Eddie Howe’s squad look to secure their Premier League status once again.
A statement from the club read: “Bournemouth are extremely disappointed with the FA Regulatory Commission’s decision to find Tyrone Mings guilty of the charges against him and impose a five-game suspension, following Saturday’s incident at Old Trafford involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“We will study the detailed reasons of the commission once they become available, but find it extraordinary that the charges can be described as ‘proven’ when there is absolutely no evidence to prove the incident was intentional.
“It is our strongly held belief — backed up by our relationship with the player, and knowledge of his background and character — that it was an accidental collision.
“Tyrone twice apologised to Ibrahimovic during the match for the accidental collision and also reiterated that there was no intent straight after the final whistle in a series of television interviews.
“We fully support our player. Tyrone has an excellent disciplinary record and has not been sent off in 75 matches as a professional. During that time he has only received 13 yellow cards — the last of which came in April 2015.”
Mings’ suspension had been confirmed by the FA in an earlier statement.
“AFC Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings will serve a five-match suspension with immediate effect, following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today,” the statement read.
“The defender was charged with violent conduct in relation to an incident in or around the 44th minute of the game against Manchester United on Saturday [4 March 2017] which was not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video.
“Furthermore, The FA claimed that the standard punishment of three matches which would otherwise apply for the misconduct committed would be ‘clearly insufficient’.
“The player denied both the charge and the claim, however, both matters were found proven and a two-match suspension was added by the Commission to the standard sanction for violent conduct.”
Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, travelled to Russia on Tuesday with his Manchester United colleagues and he is available for both legs of the Europa League tie with FC Rostov.
However, Jose Mourinho cannot call on his talismanic forward for domestic duties until Everton visit Old Trafford on April 4.
The 35-year-old Swede’s running battle with Mings in the lunchtime kick-off escalated on the stroke of half-time when the Bournemouth defender’s studs scraped down the side of his head when attempting to hurdle both Wayne Rooney and Ibrahimovic.
In the same United attack, Ibrahimovic’s right elbow then connected with Mings’ head as the two jumped for a header.
Both players escaped punishment at the time as referee Kevin Friend failed to spot the incidents, yet action was brought on Monday once a panel of three former elite referees had observed video footage.
Ibrahimovic denied there was any intent — claiming Mings ”jumped into my elbow”, while the Bournemouth defender had also professed his innocence by claiming he did not deliberately stamp on the United striker.
