Manchester City fans furious after Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas escapes red-card fracas without FA punishment

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

The FA has sparked fury by charging both Chelsea and Manchester City for their part in the Battle of the Etihad – but not Cesc Fabregas.

Man City fans are furious that the Spain midfielder escaped punishment for his slap on their man Fernandinho.

The incident was not seen by referee Anthony Taylor so was referred to a panel of three former elite referees, who deemed it was not a sending-off offence.

Fabregas was booked for “adopting an aggressive attitude” though, but there is widespread bemusement that he has not been punished along with opponents Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero, who have been banned for three and four matches respectively.

One Man City fan, Joe Derrig, tweeted: “The premier league is an absolute joke! The Level of refereeing is shocking!”

Another, ‘the doctor’ added: “so you ARE allowed to slap an opponent. Who knew??”

Blues fan ‘Kev’ said simply: “Farce”.

Fernandinho was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for responding to Fabregas’ slap by grabbing the Spain midfielder around the throat and pushing him over an advertising hoarding.

Fernandinho was then seen refusing to go down the tunnel and having to be restrained by team-mates and City officials.

Aguero started the brawl with an x-rated lunge on Chelsea’s David Luiz, a challenge for which the Argentina striker was also sent off by Taylor.

The 28-year-old got the four-match ban as he has already had a retrospective red card this season for elbowing West Ham’s Winston Reid in August.

City and Chelsea were both charged by the FA with failing to control their players after the explosive scenes at the Etihad Stadium.

The FA studied CCTV and footage from broadcasters on Monday morning to ascertain the guilty parties as players from staff from both clubs weighed in.

Chelsea were fined £375,000 and warned as to their future conduct in May following the bitter fighting that marred their end-of-season showdown with Spurs at Stamford Bridge.

Watford and West Brom have also been charged with failing to control their players, following a mass brawl toward the end of Saturday’s match at the Hawthorns which the Baggies won 3-1.