Liverpool and the FA have this evening announced Luis Suarez is to be charged following an incident in Liverpool’s defeat at Fulham on Monday evening.
The FA’s official site released the following statement in full:
Liverpool Football Club have been charged by The FA with failing to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion, following the dismissal of Jay Spearing. The charge is in relation to Liverpool’s Premier League fixture at Fulham on 5 December 2011. The club has until 4pm on Monday 12 December to respond to the charge. Luis Suarez has also been charged following an incident in the same game. The Liverpool player is charged with improper conduct, in relation to an alleged gesture made towards the Fulham fans at the end of the fixture. The player has until 4pm on Monday 12 December to respond to the charge.
Having been barracked for much of the game by the home support with accusations of diving, the Uruguayan was seem to gesture towards the Cottagers fans and now faces a second disciplinary charge, with the Patrice Evra racism allegations also hanging over his head. In comparison to the situation with the Man United left-back, the case has been dealt with efficiently, though due to the delicate nature of the Evra controversy, they have been understandably slow to finalise any decision.
Much depends on Liverpool’s next move. Whether they will appeal or accept the charge will obviously affect the games Suarez could potentially miss. Still owned by over 28% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, Suarez’s absence would force many to alter their plans, with QPR, avl, wig, BLA affording the Reds a generous set of fixtures over the next few gameweeks. At present, though, he is free to play this weekend.
Certainly, there seems to be a far more clear-cut case to answer for his Craven Cottage indiscretion, though, with plenty of pictorial evidence highlighting Suarez’s reaction over the past couple of days.
Andy Carroll’s place in the first-team would seem more definite in the short-term as a result of any Suarez suspension, with Craig Bellamy also offering a cheaper Fantasy option. Dirk Kuyt could also come into the reckoning but much depends on Kenny Dalglish’s thinking in light of Jay Spearing’s three-match ban in the same fixture, as the injuries and suspensions start to rack up down Anfield way.
There is also the possibility that Suarez may receive nothing more than a fine, however. Other recent cases of improper misconduct, involving Carlton Cole and Ryan Babel, resulted in both being free to play. The matter is completely at the discretion of the disciplinary committee and could go either way.
