Bergkamp charged with violent conduct

Dennis Bergkamp has been charged with violent conduct over an alleged stamp on Blackburn defender Nils-Eric Johansson.

Dennis Bergkamp has been charged with violent conduct over an alleged stamp on Blackburn defender Nils-Eric Johansson.

The Football Association have acted after studying a video of the Highbury clash on October 26th.

The Dutch striker now faces a three-match ban that could rule him out of Arsenal's crunch Barclaycard Premiership clash against Manchester United.

Bergkamp yesterday claimed the alleged stamp had only come to light because of over-examination by television replays. Referee Graham Barber took no action at the time following the clash in the Gunners' 2-1 home defeat.

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Bergkamp said: "I don't understand it - on the pitch there was nothing really wrong. The referee seemed to see everything.

"I picked the player up and there was nothing really wrong. The referee was very close to it and he came up to me and said 'calm down' and I calmed down.

"Then I heard the next day that it was on the TV and I thought 'Okay, who is making those decisions? Who is putting it on the television?" he said.

"Then you read about stamping. It is such a serious word - but there was nothing in it. They are trying to make something out of nothing".