Ancelotti charged for confronting referee after United draw
The fallout from Everton’s contentious draw against Manchester United has continued with Carlo Ancelotti being charged with misconduct by the FA.
The Italian went onto the field to remonstrate with referee Chris Kavanagh at full time after Everton had a late Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal controversially disallowed for offside via VAR.
Kavanagh refused to speak to Ancelotti and when the Everton manager stood his ground, the official pulled out the red card.
“Carlo Ancelotti has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3.
It is alleged that the Everton FC manager’s language and/or behaviour on the field of play at the end of the Premier League fixture against Manchester United FC on Sunday 1 March 2020 amounts to improper conduct.
He has until Thursday 5 March 2020 to provide a response.
It means Ancelotti is the first manager to be shown a red card in the Premier League (another first, yay!). Though managers have been dismissed from the touchline before, this is the first year where the process has been formalised with a card.
The BBC is reporting that if Ancelotti accepts the charge he will be fined but avoid a touchline ban for Sunday’s trip to former club Chelsea.
The Toffees boss later denied being disrespectful to the official and said he spoke to him again calmly after the game.
He was also fairly relaxed about the prospect of serving a touchline ban, telling reporters afterwards:
“It was not the first time and will not be the last. I never disrespect. It can happen. At the end of the game I was a little bit nervous and maybe the referee also.
“At the end of the game we spoke friendly. If I am banned I will be disappointed but the stand at Stamford Bridge is near the dugout, I will be close.”
read also: Ancelotti: I want to remain at Everton
If anything, the incident has endeared him to Evertonians even more, with supporters delighted to see a manager fighting their corner.