Wenger's linesman comment lands him in hot water with FA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined £2,500 (€3,700) by the Football Association for comments he made about an assistant referee following the Carling Cup final.

At a disciplinary hearing today, the Gunners boss denied a charge of improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute for his remarks after the clash with Chelsea on February 23, which his side lost in controversial fashion.

However, the FA commission found against the Frenchman and concluded that his use of the word “lie” when describing the assistant’s intervention, which led to the sending off of Emmanuel Adebayor, constituted improper conduct.

Wenger made the comment after seeing three of his players - Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue - sent off following a scuffle at the end of the match in Cardiff.

In bringing the charge against him in March, the FA demanded an explanation both for his comments about the assistant referee and his remark that “the whole system is not honest” after seeing Adebayor’s appeal against a three-game ban dismissed.

Wenger said at the time: “The officials made a mistake. Adebayor did not punch Lampard and didn't intend to, we can prove it. It isn’t the truth, I don’t accept it. I cannot accept that our club is treated like this. I will defend it to the FA. It was a lie and is not responsible.”

Both clubs were charged with failing to control their players and/or officials as a result of the cup final melee, which also saw Chelsea's Mikel John Obi sent off.

Today’s outcome is not the first time the FA have found against Wenger this season.

Just last month he was fined an identical amount and warned about his future conduct after an half-time altercation with referee Steve Bennett during December’s draw with Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium.

In December, he was fined £10,000 (€14,600) for his part in an ugly touchline row with then West Ham manager Alan Pardew the previous month.