Aleksandar Mitrovic is facing a lengthy ban after the Football Association announced the standard punishment for his dismissal against Manchester United would be “clearly insufficient”.Mitrovic gave Fulham the lead in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford but was sent off after trying to grab referee Chris Kavanagh’s arm during a chaotic couple of minutes. Willian and head coach Marco Silva were also given their marching orders during that period but it is the conduct of Mitrovic in Fulham’s 3-1 defeat that has come under particular scrutiny. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Dermot Gallagher explains why Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic was sent off in the FA Cup for pushing a referee, while Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes wasn’t for a similar incident in the Premier League against Liverpool Man Utd into FA Cup semi-finals as nine-player Fulham implodeRef Watch: Why Aleksandar Mitrovic was sent off, but Bruno Fernandes wasn’tRoy Keane: Fulham self-destructed | Marco Silva: Mitrovic ref shove shouldn’t merit long banFulham have been charged by the FA with failing to “ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion”, while Silva has been accused of several misdemeanours.The FA’s statement in full”Fulham, Marco Silva and Aleksandar Mitrovic have been charged following the incidents that took place in or around the 72nd minute of their tie against Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday 19 March. “It is alleged that Marco Silva used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the match referee; that he used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official prior to his dismissal; and that he also used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the fourth official after being sent off. “It is further alleged that in throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee his behaviour was improper. “The FA has claimed that the standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksandar Mitrovic for the sending off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee is clearly insufficient.”In addition, Aleksandar Mitrovic’s behaviour and/or language was allegedly improper and/or abusive and/or insulting and/or threatening following his dismissal.”It’s also alleged that Fulham failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.”‘Referee had no option but to send Mitrovic off’ Image: Aleksandar Mitrovic argues vociferously with referee Chris Kavanagh before being sent off Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher:”You cannot manhandle a referee. We spoke the other week about Bruno Fernandes against Liverpool when I was of the opinion it wasn’t a red card offence, but I did say I don’t condone anyone touching a referee.”However, in Mitrovic’s case, I think it is much more aggressive. He’s got hold of the ref and pulled him back. He’s been given a red card and what you saw after the red card was so aggressive and so nasty towards Chris Kavanagh, and that is why I think he has done an absolutely fantastic job for himself and referees in general because he kept his cool.”He didn’t react to it or get sucked into it. He kept his composure and I really admire him. He stood up for what referees stand for.”I said at the time that I didn’t condone what Fernandes did. I don’t think it is wise to touch a match official. However, I don’t think that is aggressive. It is petulant from Fernandes, and he could have easily been given a yellow card for that. People would have accepted that.”I still don’t think the Fernandes incident is a red card offence, but the Mitrovic incident is.”

Jim Ratcliffe – REUTERS/Phil NobleSir Jim Ratcliffe has insisted he will not be sucked into paying a “stupid” price for Manchester United and says his interest in buying the club is being driven by a desire to “win things”.The billionaire owner of petrochemicals giant Ineos met with United in person on Friday as he  bids to win over the Glazers in the takeover battle for England’s biggest football club.Ratcliffe’s main competition for United appears to be the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, whose bid team held talks in Manchester the day before the Ineos founder’s visit.Telegraph Sport understands that second, detailed bids could be sent to Raine Group, the merchant bank running the process of behalf of the Glazers, as early as Wednesday.The indications are that the initial offers made by interested parties fell short of the Glazers’ £5 billion plus valuation and will have to be raised to persuade the Americans to sell. Sheikh Jassim is proposing a completely debt free takeover; Ratcliffe has said his bid will not add to the existing debt levels.Yet Ratcliffe, while refusing to discuss the financial details of his bid, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that he would not be paying a “stupid” figure that would cause regret down the line.“How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house? It’s not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint,” Ratcliffe said. “What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently.”A lifelong United fan who was at the Nou Camp to see Sir Alex Ferguson’s beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in dramatic circumstances in 1999 to complete a historic treble, Ratcliffe, who hails from Oldham, said his motives for buying the club were born of a desire for on pitch success.“Our interest in that club would be purely in winning things,” he said.The Glazers have been subjected to widespread protests and fan fury over the money that has poured out of the club to service their leveraged takeover and line their own pockets. Ratcliffe said he regarded United as a “community asset” rather than a financial one.Ratcliffe admitted the pursuit of United was different to many of his other business investments. “That in a sense goes without saying, because sport is emotional,” he added.Ratcliffe spoke to United manager Erik ten Hag and chief executive Richard Arnold in Manchester last week.The Ineos team turned out in force. In addition to Ratcliffe, Sir David Brailsford – the former British Cycling chief who is now director of sport at Ineos – was also present, along with Ineos co-owners Andy Currie and John Reece.Ineos Sport chair Rob Nevin and Jean Claude Blanc, who joined Ineos Sport as chief executive only last month, were also there to listen to presentations on “opportunities and challenges” at the club.

Lewis Dunk celebrates after Brighton reach FA Cup semi-finals with win over Grimsby (PA Wire)Brighton captain Lewis Dunk is convinced his “completely different” side have what it takes to right the wrongs of their last FA Cup semi-final appearance and go all the way at Wembley.Sunday’s 5-0 victory over League Two side Grimsby assured Albion of just their third trip to the final four, with the Seagulls now set to face Manchester United on the weekend of April 22-23.Dunk is one of the only Brighton players with memories of their last attempt to reach the final – a 1-0 loss to eventual winners Manchester City in 2019 – and is relishing the prospect of tying up unfinished business.He told the club’s official website: “We’ve been there before and had a great feeling, but leaving Wembley, losing, it’s not a nice feeling. So we’re going there to get ourselves to the final and one step further than last time.“There’s not many left from that squad. But (now) you’ve got boys that are playing in World Cups and big occasions, so it’s a game of football that we are going to make sure we try and win.”Brighton finished two points clear of relegation in the 2018/19 season, the last campaign they made it this far in the FA Cup, while they now sit seventh in the Premier League and face the genuine prospect of qualifying for European football next season.Their only other semi-final appearance was in 1982/83, when the Seagulls eventually reached the trophy contest but finished runners-up to Manchester United in a replay, Gordon Smith writing himself into club lore after narrowly failing to score a would-be winner in the first match.This Brighton side, featuring World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Japan international Kaoru Mitoma, who has netted or been involved with a goal in each of his four FA Cup appearances, has a distinctly-different feel.“I think it’s a completely different squad,” added Dunk. “I think we’re in a completely different place as a club, as a group. I think we’re better than we were back then and we’d like to go there and show what we’re about.“Leading out the team at Wembley is a privilege for me, I’m lucky to to it twice but I want to be on the winning side next time, walking out in the final and winning that.”Grimsby boss Paul Hurst, whose club have won a windfall £558,000 in prize money alone and were just the fifth tier-four outfit to reach an FA Cup quarter-final, said of his side: “They’ve now brought a spotlight onto Grimsby Town Football Club, given the supporters some special moments.“It’s helped show a lot of people and it might help moving forward in terms of recruitment. The biggest plus is the financial reward should really help the football club and whatever that is spent on it can only help.“That will be a decision for the owners to make, but I genuinely don’t care what it is as long as it improves the football club. That’s what I want to see happen.”