Mourinho charged over 'cheat' comment

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for his “cheat, cheat, cheat” comment in a post-match interview after the Carling Cup semi-final first leg clash with Manchester United.

Mourinho, who has until February 14 to respond to the charge, made his comments in a Chelsea TV interview after the Stamford Bridge encounter on January 12.

Mourinho was angered when United boss Sir Alex Ferguson spoke to referee Neale Barry as the players left the field at half-time and by United’s second-half tactics.

Mourinho said: “Sir Alex was very clever, if you can say that, at half-time by putting some pressure on the ref. In the second half it was whistle and whistle, fault and fault, cheat and cheat.”

Chelsea skipper John Terry backed Mourinho’s cheating claim after the match but the FA, having reviewed the content and context of his comments, decided not to take disciplinary action against him.