5 March 2015:Â Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse should face bans from the Football Association after appearing to spit at each other, according to BBC pundits.
The pair both appeared to spit during the Red Devils’ 1-0 win at Newcastle.
Ex-Newcastle midfielder Dietmar Hamann said on BBC Match of the Day: “Both players will have a few weeks off. This is not acceptable, it’s disgusting.”
Phil Neville said spitting is “the worst thing you can do on a pitch”.
The former Manchester United defender added: “It’s unacceptable. Both those players will be embarrassed looking back at it.”
Television replays appeared to show Evans spitting towards Cisse, who was on the ground, after the striker challenged the Northern Ireland international.
The Senegalese then appeared to respond by confronting Evans and spitting in his direction.
Referee Anthony Taylor spoke to both players after the first-half incident, in which both players also appeared to kick out at each other, but neither were booked.
Spitting at an opponent is a sending off offence.
George Boyd, then playing for Hull City, was given a three-match ban by the FA after a charge of spitting in an incident involving Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart was proven in March 2014.
The incident was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video.
Former Magpies midfielder Jermaine Jenas told BBC 5 live: “I am completely disgusted. If Cisse has spat in Jonny Evans’s face then he needs a long ban.
“The game does not need to see this. It’s just a disgusting habit.”
Hamann agreed: “There are kids watching – something has to be done. The behaviour towards each other and the referee is deteriorating on a weekly basis.”
Neither Newcastle manager John Carver nor Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal said they had seen the incident in the game at St James’ Park which was settled late on when Ashley Young capitalised on Tim Krul’s poor clearance to give the visitors victory.
Carver said: “You can’t do it can you? It’s one of the worst things in football. I can’t comment on it, I just know there was a fracas on the halfway line.”
Van Gaal said: “I don’t think Jonny Evans is a spitter. Maybe spitting on the floor but we are on the bench and you cannot see from there.”
Source : BBC Sport
