The Football Association have charged Arsenal for the conduct of their players during the second half of their Premier League defeat to Manchester City.
Arsenal had dominated the first half and taken a deserved 1-0 lead into the break, and continued to play well into the second half. However, when Bernardo Silva was brought down by Granit Xhaka in the 53rd minute, City had a penalty after VAR intervened.
That decision angered the Arsenal players, especially when the incident was replayed on the big screen, and Xhaka was booked for the foul after the four-minute delay. Defender Gabriel also received a yellow card for scuffing up the penalty spot before Riyad Mahrez scored the kick, and two minutes later he was sent off for clattering into Gabriel Jesus on the halfway line.
That decision further angered Arsenal, who surrounded referee Stuart Atwell to protest Gabriel's innocence, and they have now been charged for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves during their protests.
An FA statement read: "Arsenal FC has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 following its Premier League game against Manchester City FC on Saturday [01/01/22].
"It is alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 59th minute and the club has until Friday [07/01/22] to respond."
The rule in question states that clubs are responsible for ensuring that "its directors, players, officials, employees, servants, representatives, spectators and all personal purporting to be its supporters or followers, conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and refrain from any one or combination of the following:
"Improper, violent, threatening, abusive, indecent, insulting or provocative words or behaviour (including, without limitation where any such conduct, words or behaviour includes a reference, whether express or implied, to any one or more of ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation or disability) whilst attending at or taking part in a Match in which it is involved, whether on its own ground or elsewhere."
