Fulham‘s Aleksandar Mitrovic will miss his side’s trip to Anfield at the start of May after being handed an eight-game suspension by the FA.
The Cottagers’ implosion at Man United in mid-March has seen them pay the price beyond just their exit from the FA Cup in a 3-1 defeat.
When the two teams met at Old Trafford, Mitrovic’s goal set Fulham on course for victory before it all fell to pieces in a matter of minutes.
Mitrovic was shown a straight red card after he grabbed referee Chris Kavanagh as he protested the sending off of both Willian and manager Marco Silva.
The independent Regulatory Commission deemed “the standard punishment” for violent conduct of three games as “clearly insufficient” and added on a further three-game suspension, as announced by the FA.
After then admitting “his behaviour and language after being sent off was improper, abusive, insulting and threatening,” a further two-match ban and a £75,000 fine was issued.
All in all, Mitrovic’s actions have resulted in an eight-game ban – one match has already been served – and a £75,000 fine.
Fulham‘s trip to Liverpool will be the seventh match of his eight-game ban, and it means he cannot repeat his two-goal feat from the reverse fixture at the start of the season.
Fulham FC, Marco Silva and Aleksandar Mitrovi? have been sanctioned by an independent Regulatory Commission following a hearing in relation to their tie against Manchester United in The FA Cup on Sunday 19 March.
Full statement: https://t.co/4RqXHbIOzb pic.twitter.com/tqbTDcWMbI
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) April 4, 2023
It leaves Fulham without their leading goalscorer for the majority of their fight to end the season with European football, with Mitrovic, who has 12 goals, only to return for their final three games.
Silva, meanwhile, was issued a two-match touchline ban and a total £40,000 fine for his actions and further comments at Old Trafford.
Liverpool host Fulham at Anfield in a late kickoff on May 3, a game that had to be rearranged due to the Cottagers’ involvement in the FA Cup quarter-final.