Zlatan likely to face FA action – Gallagher

Rob McCarthy
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Could be facing a three-match ban

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Facing a three-match ban

Former referee Dermot Gallagher expects Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be in hot water over his elbow on Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings.

The Football Association is awaiting the report from referee Kevin Friend, due on Monday, before deciding whether to take action against the Manchester United striker.

Mings could also be in trouble over an incident moments before when, in jumping over a prone Ibrahimovic, the defender trod on his head.

If his actions were deemed deliberate, and if neither Friend nor his fellow officials saw the incident, then Mings could face retrospective action.

Gallagher told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme: “I think that’s the most difficult of the two to judge for the reason that only he knows what his actions were.

“The pictures don’t look good and the FA will obviously look at that and process it as they see right. But it’s very difficult to judge what his intent was.”

Gallagher was in no doubt about Ibrahimovic, though, saying: “The pictures do him no favours whatsoever.

“That will definitely be one that the FA will look at, they’ll speak to the officials. Obviously they didn’t (see it) because if they’d seen it they would have acted, there’s no doubt about that.”