EVERTON’S Marouane Fellaini is facing a possible NINE-GAME ban after headbutting Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross. And he is also set to be fined £150,000 — two weeks’ wages — by boss David Moyes, who is still fuming with the Belgian.
FA chiefs will today review TV footage and are likely to hit Fellaini with a three-match suspension at the very least.
But they also have the power to take other offences into account.
Fellaini was also caught on camera trying to
BUTT Shawcross a second time, aiming an
ELBOW in his direction and
SMASHING him in the face as the pair grappled throughout the second half.
FA chiefs will almost certainly slap the Toffees star with a retrospective three-match ban, as his butt on Shawcross would be considered a red card offence on its own.
But if they feel the other incidents are just as serious, then the FA could also hand down multiple suspensions.
Much will depend on ref Mark Halsey, who missed Fellaini’s blatant headbutt.
But he will be shown TV footage today and asked whether he saw any of the other incidents.
And that will dictate whether the player will get an extended ban.
That could mean a total ban of six to nine games — ruling the player out until well into next year.
There is a precedent for such action, as the FA showed when punishing QPR’s Joey Barton at the end of last season.
Barton was handed a 12-match ban after being found guilty of two counts of violent conduct in the Premier League title decider at Manchester City.
Angry Moyes admitted the Fellaini incident was “not acceptable”.
And he is not about to let the matter lie with Fellaini, who is set to cop the club’s maximum fine.
The Everton manager added: “We will take the punishment if it is given.”
Fellaini, 25, issued an apology to Shawcross on Saturday but that is likely to come too late for the player who will not escape trial by TV.
Everton defender Sylvain Distin, meanwhile, hopes the FA takes a consistent line on what he called “wrestling” by Stoke players at set-pieces.
Distin said: “They just catch you all the time and grab you.
“It’s wrestling, it was tough. I think the ref could have a look at it. There is no consistency.”
Originally Posted by Wiltord's Winter Wonderland
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