FA to review Wenger, Pardew bust-up

The Football Association will wait until they have reviewed all the video evidence before deciding whether to take any action…

The Football Association will wait until they have reviewed all the video evidence before deciding whether to take any action against Arsene Wenger or Alan Pardew for their touchline bust-up.

It is understood the report from referee Rob Styles from Sunday's Premiership match mentions the altercation between the two managers, but a decision has yet to be taken on whether they will face any disciplinary proceedings.

The FA's compliance unit have asked for video footage from all the camera angles to be provided before they make a decision.

The incident blew up at Upton Park after Marlon Harewood snatched a late winner for West Ham, sparking wild celebrations from the under-pressure Pardew and causing Arsenal manager Wenger to react angrily.

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The pair had to be separated, and Wenger also snubbed Pardew's post-match handshake.

The West Ham manager later apologised to his opposite number.

His players have rallied round him, with Hayden Mullins declaring: "We will all fight for him and scrap for him."

Eight successive defeats had posed questions of Pardew's position but back-to-back wins have now given Hammers fans cause for optimism, and Mullins believes the team are battling to ease the pressure on their boss.

Mullins, who is set to sign a new contract as reward for his consistency in central midfield, said: "If he is under pressure, we will all fight for him and scrap for him.

"We have good camaraderie in the dressing room and the gaffer comes under that bracket. The gaffer has got a lot of stick over the last couple of weeks and the boys understood he was under a lot of pressure.

"It was brilliant that we could pull out the two wins for him. Now we can start looking upwards."

Pardew and Wenger could face action from the FA for their clash, although winger Matthew Etherington dismissed the incident as his manager merely showing his passion for the club.

"You see him when he celebrates most goals, he's very passionate and there's nothing wrong with that," said Etherington, who set up Harewood's winner.

"Obviously there was an added incentive with beating a big team like Arsenal, but if you look at the way he celebrates goals, he celebrates in a passionate way.

"We've got good team spirit even though people are saying we haven't. We've always been behind the gaffer from day one and that's never changed."

Etherington added: "It's all a bit of fun and games, it was heated up. The lads were having a laugh and taking the mickey out of the gaffer afterwards, that's it.

"Everyone is professional in their job and it will be forgotten about."

League Managers' Association chief executive John Barnwell has admitted he is concerned by the spat and has called for the technical areas to be further apart.

"We are absolutely concerned," said Barnwell.

"I haven't spoken to Alan or Arsene. But what the incident does show is how emotional this game is - and that is what drives them.

"Perhaps Alan could be accused of over-celebrating - but when you look at what he has been through this season who could deny [him] that?

"He is quite entitled to do that. Whether Alan has said something that has provoked a response from Arsene, I don't know."

Barnwell wants to see the pair resolve their differences as soon as possible, and suggested a possible solution to prevent further disagreements between managers.

"I would like to see them put this to one side," he told Sky Sports News. "Nothing disastrous has happened.

"One thing I would like is for the technical areas to be at least 20 metres apart - then I don't think you would get these scenes."