Fulham ahead Aleksandar Mitrovic picked up an enormous eight-game ban stemming from pushing referee Chris Kavanagh. The incident occurred throughout Fulham’s FA Cup loss at Manchester United. In response to Willian and his supervisor choosing up crimson playing cards, the Serbian pushed Kavanagh whereas yelling on the referee. On the first signal of bodily contact, Kavanagh brandished a straight crimson card.
Mitrovic did already serve the ban on one among these eight video games. He was out of Fulham’s loss at relegation candidates Bournemouth on the weekend. Fulham’s subsequent video games are largely in opposition to different sides within the battle on the backside of the desk. That features Leeds, West Ham, Everton and Leicester. There are additionally contests in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Mitrovic’s absence shall be felt, significantly as a result of he leads the group in objectives in league play with 11. Nonetheless, a lot of these got here originally of the season. The truth is, he has not scored in a league recreation since January 3, the one objective in a win over Leicester. Willian additionally faces a suspension for his direct crimson card in blocking a goal-scoring alternative along with his hand.
Mitrovic ban is one among longest in Premier League historical past
The eight-game ban for Mitrovic guidelines him out till the center of Could in opposition to Southampton. By that point, there’ll solely be three video games remaining within the season. The ban is fewer than solely a handful of different suspensions. For instance, Luis Suarez picked up a ban of the identical size after racially abusing Patrice Evra.
Different suspensions based mostly on pushing and shoving the referee might be simply as lengthy. David Prutton picked up a 10-game ban for pushing a referee in 2005. Paulo di Canio additionally shoved an official in 1998, and he obtained an 11-game suspension.
In the meantime, the FA, who discover the choice too lenient, need to enchantment the choice made by the unbiased fee. If the FA wins its enchantment, Mitrovic may very well be suspended for much more video games. The Guardian reviews the ban may rise to 10 video games, which suggests he wouldn’t play till subsequent season.
“Our present intention is to enchantment each sanctions,” stated an FA assertion. “Nonetheless we’ll await the written causes earlier than confirming our closing place.”
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