FA hold key to Arsenal season

Arsenal were today waiting to learn the potential effect on their title bid as the Football Association prepared to announce the lengthy charge-sheet arising out of the ugly scenes at Old Trafford.

The FA spent yesterday reviewing video evidence, frame by frame, of the controversial incidents that marred last Sunday’s goalless draw as Ruud van Nistelrooy was harangued and harassed by several Arsenal players.

When the FA’s deliberations are completed, Arsenal are likely to face a charge of bringing the game into disrepute and that could mean a hefty fine.

However, what could prove far more damaging to their title challenge are the suspensions set to follow for up to five players after what even Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has described as “stupid behaviour”.

Martin Keown will almost certainly be charged for having made contact with his elbow on the back of Van Nistelrooy’s head as he wildly celebrated his penalty miss and could face a lengthy ban if found guilty.

Ray Parlour, Jens Lehmann, Ashley Cole and Lauren also face potential suspensions, especially if it can be proved that any of them laid hands on assistant referee Mike Tingey, as one report has indicated may have occurred.

So while charges for Manchester United and Gary Neville have also been considered, it will be Arsenal’s title bid that almost inevitably suffers the most.

Patrick Vieira is already set to serve an automatic one-match ban for his Old Trafford red card by missing next month’s game against Chelsea.

Sol Campbell, meanwhile, is also facing a ban of up to three games for his retaliation against Eric Djemba-Djemba in the Community Shield.

More suspensions could now follow and if Arsenal had to cope without not only Campbell, but also Keown, Lauren, Cole and Lehmann at any one time, their thin defensive resources would be stretched beyond breaking point.

Even more damningly, Arsenal players have lost 148 games to suspension since Wenger took charge just under seven years ago – more than 20 matches a season.

In those seven years, they have received 52 red cards, compared to United’s 21 in the same period, according to statistics in the Daily Telegraph.

Twenty of those dismissals have come in the past two full campaigns, as well as the current season, as opposed to just two for United – both for Roy Keane, of which the latest was a year ago.

No wonder that Football Association chief executive Mark Palios has pledged a disciplinary crackdown on “unacceptable forms of behaviour” by players.

Palios also made it clear that he is aiming to speed up the disciplinary process after consulting representatives of players, managers and referees over the coming weeks.

In an interview with the FA’s website, www.theFA.com, he revealed: “A review is underway that aims to ensure the highest standards of fairness and transparency.

“The range of punishments for particular types of unacceptable behaviour need to be appropriate and be seen to be appropriate.

“Furthermore, the process must be as speedy as justice allows and certainly speedier than it has been in the past. We must concentrate on the time it takes to issue charges as well as to conclude cases.

“People should not forget that the FA deals with a huge number of disciplinary cases, not all of them high profile, but it is crucial that everybody involved believes they are being treated in a consistent and fair manner.

“That is the objective I shall be discussing with an expert group of representatives of players, managers and referees, as well as the Premier League and the Football League over coming weeks.”