Soccer: Manchester United's often fragile relationship with the English Football Association was further strained last night after Wayne Rooney was charged with violent conduct for shoving Bolton's defender Tal Ben Haim in the face.
Confirmation that he faces a three-match ban is expected tomorrow.
The incident, during United's 2-0 victory on St Stephen's Day, was missed by the referee Dermot Gallagher leaving the FA, for the second time this season, to sanction United belatedly for the actions of one of their players.
Ruud van Nistelrooy received a three-match ban for a challenge on Arsenal's Ashley Cole in October after Mike Riley missed his lunge at the full back.
The sanction represents the first dispute between the English governing body and United since Brian Barwick's appointment as the FA's chief executive, with Alex Ferguson's disgust at the latest imminent ban unlikely to be tempered by Haim being charged with improper conduct for his exaggerated reaction to the push.
In acting against the Israeli the FA has set a potentially dangerous precedent, paving the way for similar punishments for players deemed to have play-acted.
Yet, that has been overshadowed in the short-term by Rooney's impending ban, to be confirmed tomorrow on Ferguson's 63rd birthday, which will leave United perilously short up front for their Premiership games against Middlesbrough and Tottenham.
United will reluctantly swallow the punishment - they can accept or deny the charge by 6 p.m. today - and, under the FA's new rules, will not have any representation at the disciplinary commission tomorrow.
Rooney will also miss the FA Cup tie against Exeter, though he will at least have time to recover from a gash to his thigh sustained during Tuesday's 1-0 victory at Aston Villa.
Ferguson had reacted furiously to a possible sanction.
"The Bolton player should be embarrassed by that because there was nothing in it at all," he said.
"He should be up before the FA, not Rooney. He went down . . . for about two minutes rolling about, but, because it is Wayne Rooney and because it is Manchester United, the emphasis is taken off the Bolton player completely."
Haim had crumpled to the turf clutching his face despite Rooney's shove being relatively gentle.
Bolton's
manager Sam Allardyce admitted the 22-year-old "went down rather too easily", despite protestations of innocence by the player himself.
He has until January 20th to respond to the charge. A fine is likely if found guilty, though the FA can ban him for one match in their attempt to clamp down on diving.
By charging Haim, the FA presumably would have to act in future over, for example, Patrick Vieira's apparent dive at Liverpool last month, or the incident which saw Robert Pires fall under no clear challenge against Portsmouth last season.
Meanwhile, Duncan Ferguson's dismissal at Charlton Athletic may have dashed any lingering hopes the Scot retained about earning himself a new contract at Everton.
Ferguson will sit out the Merseysiders' next three games having elbowed Hermann Hreidarsson in the face only eight minutes after emerging from the bench at The Valley.
Everton, trailing 1-0 at the time, went on to lose 2-0 and manager David Moyes admitted he would "do what I have to do" to discipline the errant striker.
That will amount to a fine of two weeks' wages - around £60,000 - for the seventh dismissal of Ferguson's Premiership career.
The long-term repercussions of the misdemeanour, however, are likely to be more damaging for a forward with only six months to run on his contract.
The 33-year-old had impressed as a substitute in recent weeks, going some way towards persuading the Everton management that he might have a future at the club. Yet, his conduct in south London was a timely reminder of the more irresponsible side to Ferguson's game and is likely to see him released when his deal expires in the summer.
Guardian Service
