Mourinho’s fury as Toure dodges three-game ban
CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho was last night left seething after the Football Association ruled Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure would face no punishment, despite aiming an apparent kick at Norwich’s Ricky van Wolfswinkel at the weekend.
Toure went unpunished during the 0-0 draw at Carrow Road leaving the FA to refer the possibility of further action to a three-man panel after referee Jon Moss revealed he had not seen the incident in his report on the match.
Mourinho, whose Premier League leaders can extend their advantage over City to five points at West Brom tonight, had said ahead of the FA’s verdict: “If he is not suspended the message is clear for all players. It means it doesn’t matter about cameras, doesn’t matter about the consequences, if the referee doesn’t see it they can do it. Normally the FA defends football and fair play.”
Under a scheme which came into effect this season a three-man panel of former elite referees review incidents unseen by Premier League match officials and retrospective bans can be applied if they unanimously agree the offence was worthy of a red card.
However, an FA statement read: “The panel were asked to review an incident involving Manchester City’s Yaya Toure during the game against Norwich City on Saturday 8 February 2014.
“In this instance, the panel were not of the unanimous decision that it was an act of violent conduct.”