EPL 2016/17: Jose Mourinho charged by FA over comments made before Liverpool game

Jose Mourinho
Mourinho made comments about the match referee before United’s game against Liverpool

Just a day after Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side beat city rivals Manchester City in the round of 16 of the EFL Cup, it has emerged that the Portuguese manager has yet again been charged by the FA over the comments he made about referee Anthony Taylor, prior to United’s game against Liverpool at Anfield.

Mourinho broke the rule which does not allow managers to speak about referees in the build-up to matches. The rule was introduced in 2009 to prevent comments which could be viewed as intimidatory or influential in the referee’s judgement during the game.

Also Read: "Jose Mourinho should go to war with Pep Guardiola," says former Manchester United player Phil Neville

Mourinho had said the following before the game against Liverpool, after there was discourse in the public domain about the fairness behind Anthony Taylor’s appointment for a Liverpool vs Manchester United as he hailed from Altrincham in Greater Manchester – “I think Mr. Taylor is a very good referee but because such pressure is being put on him I think it will be difficult for him to have a very good performance at Anfield.”

Mourinho also went on to speak about how he does not want to comment on the referee situation any further, but the damage had already been done by then. “I don’t really want to say too much more on the matter. I have my view but I have learned a lesson, if you want to call it that, by being punished so many times for my words about referees.”

FA Statement

The FA’s statement read, “Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct in respect of comments he made relating to the appointed match referee, prior to the Liverpool v Manchester United fixture on Monday 17 October 2016. It is alleged his comments were improper and/or brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA rule E3(1).”

Mourinho has time till 31st October 2016 to respond to the FA’s charge. Interestingly, all four yellow cards given during the Liverpool-Manchester United fixture were to Manchester United players, further proof of referee Anthony Taylor’s unbiased officiating.

Also Read: EPL 2016/17: Jose Mourinho apologises to Manchester United supporters for Chelsea defeat

This is not the first time Mourinho has run into trouble with the FA. He was last charged with a one-match stadium ban and fined 40,000 pounds in November 2015 when as manager of Chelsea, he refused to leave the officials’ changing room and verbally abused referee Jon Moss and his colleagues at half-time at Upton Park, in a defeat against West Ham United.

Just a month before that incident, Mourinho was fined £50,000 for saying that referees were afraid to award penalties against his Chelsea side after they were beaten 3-1 by Southampton.

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Edited by Staff Editor