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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Josh O'Brien

Man Utd and Crystal Palace learn fate for 20-man brawl that infuriated Erik ten Hag

Manchester United and Crystal Palace have both been fined £55,000 by the Football Association for an on-pitch brawl that saw Red Devils midfielder Casemiro red-carded earlier this month.

Casemiro saw red for his part to play in the incident after VAR spotted he had put both hands around the neck of Eagles midfielder Will Hughes. It was during the altercation that around 20 players became embroiled in a heated disagreement - and the Premier League sides have now been punished.

A statement from the FA read: "Manchester United and Crystal Palace have both been fined £55,000 for a mass confrontation between their players in the 67th minute of a Premier League match on Saturday 4th February.

"Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively accepted and denied that they failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from provocative behaviour.

"An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found the charge against Crystal Palace proven and imposed both of the clubs’ fines."

In the aftermath, boss Erik ten Hag explained that United were initially planning to appeal the red card the Brazilian was given, but later opted against doing so.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Is a £55,000 fine a sufficient punishment for both United and Palace? Comment below

Casemiro was sent off after appearing to grab the neck of Will Hughes (Getty Images)

"Consider, yeah. Still it's for me not the right decision but I don't think we have a chance in a legal process," Ten Hag said.

The Dutchman did go on to make clear that he felt the referee got this one wrong, adding: "The player from Crystal Palace takes a big risk. Antony could be badly injured by pushing him across the line. Then everyone reacts - our players and their players.

"Casemiro is protecting our player, and protecting the player [Hughes], holding him back. If Casemiro should have been sent off, many more players should have been sent off.

"We get some warnings about our team reacting like this. You have to do it, you have to protect each other, but we want to keep our standards and values at Man Utd. You can't cross lines, but you have to stick together. We have to stand up for each other."

In truth, the fine from the FA is unlikely to do much when it comes to dampening the mood around Old Trafford at the moment, especially off the back of last Sunday's Carabao Cup triumph over Newcastle and the Europa League win against Barcelona days prior.

Morale is absolutely sky high among the Red Devils squad, though Palace may feel the weight of the fine more significantly. Things aren't quite as rosy over at Selhurst Park, with Patrick Vieira's side without a win in their last five league games.

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