FA move on Arsenal and Chelsea brawl

The FA are to inquire into an ugly brawl that marred Arsenal's 3-1 win over FA Cup-holders Chelsea at Highbury

The FA are to inquire into an ugly brawl that marred Arsenal's 3-1 win over FA Cup-holders Chelsea at Highbury. Managers Arsene Wenger and Claudio Ranieri both admitted players from both sides could have been sent off.

The game's most abiding memory was the mass brawl towards the end of a bitterly contested first half when referee Graham Barber booked six players - three of them after blows were exchanged - after an incident sparked by Chelsea captain Dennis Wise's foul on Patrick Vieira.

When Vieira reacted by grabbing Wise players from both sides rushed to the scene with arms swinging. After Wise and Robert Pires exchanged insulting gestures Thierry Henry and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink waded in and were booked along with Wise.

As referee Barber showed yellow cards to three players in the bust-up right in front of the touchline dug-outs the FA are likely to take the view that he had clear view of the incident and dealt with it.

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But they could still call for the judgment of their controversial video advisory panel on several incidents apart from the brawl - with Chelsea's Gus Poyet and Arsenal's Ashley Cole involved - even when the bookings had already been handed out.

Both clubs could be severely censured and fined for failing to control their players.

PA