The Football Association (FA) have charged Marco Silva for a fifth time after he was sent off in Fulham’s FA Cup defeat at Manchester United.
The Portuguese boss was dismissed by referee Chris Kavanagh following red cards for Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic, the first for handball on the line after a VAR check before Mitrovic was given his marching orders for manhandling the official.
The scenes prompted Fulham’s collapse in the quarter-final, from a goal up with 15 minutes to go to a 3-1 defeat.
After the game, Silva slated the referee in the post-match press conference - drawing a fresh misconduct charge from the FA.
A statement on Monday read: “Fulham’s Marco Silva has been charged with misconduct for comments that he made in a press conference at the FA Cup tie against Manchester United on Sunday, March 19.
“It’s alleged that his comments constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or question the integrity of the match official, and/or bring the game into disrepute.”
Silva has until Wednesday, March 29 to respond.
He was already facing four FA charges on grounds of insulting the referee, the fourth official, insulting the fourth official after being sent off, and for throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee. A touchline ban is also set to arrive following his red card.
When speaking to the media after the game, he had said: “Unfortunately for us we have been very unlucky with Chris Kavanagh this season, many moments.
“Chris was in a game we played away at West Ham where we lost with two clear handballs. We received the apology because of the mistakes. The last game at Leeds in the FA Cup it was him again. And for a game that is the quarter-finals, it's him again.”
Silva added: “There is pressure to play United away at Old Trafford. The referee sometimes feels the pressure because they are here. It is really difficult to accept the things that are happening this season week by week.”
