Fulham's Mitrovic and Silva face lengthy bans after being charged by English FA

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic and teammates react after he is shown a red card by referee Chris Kavanagh during the FA Cup tie against Manchester United. Reuters

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic faces a lengthy ban after he and head coach Marco Silva were charged by the English Football Association for their part in a melee that marred Sunday's FA Cup match against Manchester United.

The FA said in a statement Monday that the standard punishment for Mitrovic's dismissal during their 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Old Trafford would be "clearly insufficient".

During the second half of Sunday's tie, a confrontation broke out after Fulham's Willian was red-carded for handling the ball on the goal line following a VAR review.

During a chaotic few minutes, coach Silva angrily addressed the fourth official before being shown a red card.

Serbian forward Mitrovic was also shown a red card after confronting referee Chris Kavanagh and shoving him with his shoulder.

"The standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksander Mitrovic for the sending off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee is clearly insufficient," the FA said in a statement.

The FA said that Mitrovic's behaviour after the sending off was insulting and threatening.

"It's alleged that Marco Silva used abusive and/or insulting words, and/or gestures and/or behaviours towards the fourth official prior to his dismissal and ... after being sent off.

"It's further alleged that in throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee his behaviour was improper."

The governing body added that Fulham failed to ensure that their players would behave themselves and has yet to announce the sanctions to be handed down.

Silva had said after the match that he was hopeful Serbian striker Mitrovic would avoid a lengthy suspension but now seems almost certain to be without his 12-goal top scorer for most, if not all, of the Premier League run in. Ninth-placed Fulham are chasing European qualification.

Former Sheffield Wednesday striker Paolo Di Canio was handed an 11-game ban for pushing Paul Alcock to the ground during a match in 1998, but Mitrovic’s grab on Kavanagh was far less dramatic.

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