Arsenal have been hit with a Football Association (FA) charge of failing to control their players for the second time in less than a week.
The Gunners have until Monday (January 16) to respond to the latest charge from the FA, which relates to their FA Cup third-round tie at League One side Oxford on Monday night.
It is alleged that Arsenal “failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion” in the 34th minute of the game at the Kassam Stadium, when, with the scoreline still to be breached, they surrounded referee David Coote and appealed in vain for a penalty for handball after Albert Sambi Lokonga’s shot had struck Josh Murphy inside the box.
Mikel Arteta’s side went on to win the match 3-0 after Mohamed Elneny’s goal and a second-half brace from in-form striker Eddie Nketiah, sealing a huge fourth-round showdown with Premier League title rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium later this month.
It is the second such accusation to be levelled at Arsenal in a matter of days. Last week, they were charged with the same breach of FA Rule E20.1 following a tempestuous goalless top-flight draw with fellow high-flyers Newcastle at Emirates Stadium.
That charge also concerned penalty appeals, with several home players remonstrating with referee Andrew Madley after he twice waved away claims deep into second-half stoppage time, including a handball shout against Jacob Murphy.
Arsenal were given until Tuesday (January 10) to respond to that initial charge.
