Moyes defends Mancini after City manager gets charged by FA

FA PREMIER LEAGUE:ROBERTO MANCINI found an unlikely defence witness in David Moyes yesterday after the English Football Association charged the Manchester City manager with improper conduct for their altercation on Wednesday night. The Everton manager said the FA was wrong to punish the Italian for what he claimed was a show of desire during City's 2-0 defeat at Eastlands.

The fallout from City’s first home defeat of the season also continued at boardroom level yesterday, as Garry Cook, the club’s chief executive, telephoned the Everton supporter with whom he is alleged to have rowed after the game in an attempt to defuse the tension between the pair. Everton have written to Cook to demand an explanation into the incident with George Downing, a successful local businessman who was a guest of the Goodison Park club in the directors’ box at Eastlands, although City have denied any wrongdoing on their official’s part.

Mancini, as expected, was charged after the FA had considered the referee Peter Walton’s match report and identified the City manager as the instigator of the stoppage-time spat. Walton dismissed both managers after Mancini barged into Moyes inside the Everton technical area to retrieve the ball and squared up to the Scot, whom he accused of time-wasting. However, Moyes, who has been reminded of his responsibilities by the FA but not charged, believes both managers should escape censure.

“I think neither of us should be brought before the FA,” said the Everton manager. “Roberto did what he did for his team. He has tried to get his team a result and I have no problem with people showing how much it matters.”

Mancini has until April 6th to respond to the charge and a regulatory commission will consider the case by April 19th but Moyes claims their argument should be accepted as part of the game. The Everton manager added: “I have done it myself, tried to get the ball and grabbed it quickly to speed things up. I understand what he was trying to do. I think it is part of football.”

Mancini and Moyes were reconciled within minutes of their row, having been told they had to share a lift to watch the remainder of the game from the stands. The City manager also apologised publicly and personally to Moyes. “It was big of him to apologise. It was in the corridor and it was in front of quite a lot of TV reporters and journalists and he did it in the open as well,” Moyes said. “I didn’t think anything of it a few minutes afterwards and we shared a drink in his office. He said sorry for any problems and I said I’m the same, if you felt I was holding on to the ball too long, I apologise. I was only trying to make the substitution.”