Jose Mourinho waits to hear his fate after sending off at Southampton...what punishment could he face?
Manager Jose Mourinho of Manchester United shouts instructions from the sidelines during the Premier League match between Southampton and Manchester United at St Mary's Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is waiting to discover whether he will face a Football Association misconduct charge after he was sent off in the final minutes of his side’s 1-0 win at Southampton on Saturday.
Mourinho claimed after the game that he didn’t know why he had been sent off, amid suggestions that he was ordered from the touchline by referee Craig Pawson after ‘encroaching onto to the field’ as he tried to get orders out to his players as they hung on to their narrow advantage.
For once, Mourinho refused to comment on the incident in his post match media briefings, as he has clearly learned from past incidents when his public criticisms of match officials may have contributed to fines and touchline bans.
When asked why he felt he was sent off, Mourinho offered this explanation: “I don’t know. I don’t know. Craig told me to leave, and I left.”
That polite tone was very different from previous incidents of ill-discipline from Mourinho over the course of his coaching career, as this combustable manager has rarely been shy in lambasting officials he feels have punished him unfairly.
The United boss was sanctioned twice last season as he was given a touchline ban and a £50,000 fine for two incidents in November, while his long list of offences and fines from his two spells at Chelsea means he has paid out well over £200,000 in fines in English football.
He was also been handed a stadium during his second stint in charge at Chelsea and if he is charged for his latest indiscretion, his poor record of indiscipline may count against him when the FA consider what action to take.
However, if Mourinho was sent off for stepping on to the pitch, he is likely to be given a warning not to break that rule again.
There were some suggestions that Mourinho was sent off after a clash with the fourth official Mike Jones at Southampton and if that was the reason for his dismissal, the punishment may be more serious.
Mourinho now has to see what referee Pawson’s report contains when it lands with the FA and if he has filed an ‘extraordinary incident’ report, with the United boss certain to be infuriated if he finds himself in hot water once again.
Mourinho has justifiably suggested Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Chelsea’s Antonio Conte and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger escape punishment when they break similar rules with their touchline antics, with all eyes now on the FA to see whether the United chief will have a fresh disciplinary case to answer in the coming days.
