Adebayor Set To Be Charged By FA After Stamp and Provocative Celebration

Emmanuel Adebayor looks set to be handed a lengthy ban for the manner of his provocative celebration and for his vicious stamp on Robin van Persie in Manchester City's 4-2 victory over Arsenal.

The City striker scored late on against his old team and then turned and raced over 100 yards, avoiding his own team players, before sliding on his knees before the irate Arsenal fans at the far end of the pitch.

The very same fans he celebrated with last season...



Arsenal's fans then threw a multitude of foreign objects at their former striker as some rushed to try and get on the pitch.

Stewards had rushed into position after it had become obvious what Adebayor was trying to attempt and barely held back the furious throng.

One City steward needed medical attention after he was struck with a missile, believed to be a chair.

The City of Manchester police are also investigating the incident and are building a case through the use of CCTV footage in the hope of charging the Arsenal fans who threw the missiles onto the pitch, injuring the steward into the process.

Following the recent disgraceful scenes between fans after the Millwall/West Ham Carling Cup game, the FA are keen to come down heavily on players who incite the crowd.

What Adebayor did yesterday can only be described as pure incitement, considering he had so far to go to do it.

He was issued with a yellow card by the referee for the ugly incident, but the FA will most probably give him a two or three match ban after they investigate the celebration.

The situation could get worse for Adebayor, who will also be investigated by the game's governing body for his clash with Robin van Persie.

The Arsenal striker came in from behind the Togolese with a careless sliding tackle that might have seen the Dutch star receive a card, had it not been for the clash between the two distracting the referee.

The referee called for medical attention for Van Persie when he saw that the player was bleeding from a gash to his face.

But slow motion footage clearly shows Adebayor lashing out at Van Persie as he slid past.

The vicious attack on his ex-team mate soured the game which had been played out in a good manner by Adebayor and his former team mates.

Indeed, Adebayor even spent most of the warm-up before the match with his old friends as his new team ran through their paces.

Robin van Persie issued a statement after the game showing his bitter disappointment with his former friend and team mate:

“He set out to hurt me,” Van Persie said. “I have not received an apology from him. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for the game we all love.


“I feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made. He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful.”

Van Persie added: "He has shown a real lack of class today, to me and the fans."

Police and stewards had to be called in to restore order among the travelling fans after City striker’s goal celebration and the FA is likely to investigate the incident despite the player apologising for his behaviour.

The token apology may not sit well in FA headquarters but it should help reduce the impending bans.

“I’m very sorry for all this,” Adebayor said. “Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave.”

His manager, Mark Hughes, was quick to defend his player's actions and insisted the celebration, which earned Adebayor a yellow card, was “understandable” in the light of the player’s acrimonious departure from the Emirates this summer and his fractious relationship with the club’s fans during his time in London.

“Given the last 18 months or so, it’s understandable to a certain extent,” he said. “There was a lot of pent-up emotion there and he let his emotions run away with him. It would be a shame if that incident overshadows a great game.”

Emmanuel Adebayor had given great service to Arsenal during his time there, and it is a real shame that all his good deeds will now be forgotten by most Arsenal fans after his careless and idiotic celebration, never mind the attack on his former team mate.

The FA are to view the incidents in the coming days are are widely expected to issue separate bans which could total a massive six games for the striker.

Considering his great start to the new season where he has scored four goals in four games, it could result in a lack of goals for City, and threaten their assault on the coveted Champions League positions.


Follow Premier League Report on Twitter: