Liverpool have been charged by the FA following an incident in the first half of their 4-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester City last Saturday. Despite taking the lead through Mohamed Salah, the Reds were picked apart by Arsenal's title rivals who were able to briefly close the gap at the top to five points only for the Gunners to re-open their eight-point lead after beating Leeds later in the day by the same score line.
City equalised through Julian Alvarez before second half strikes from Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish handed Liverpool their heaviest league defeat of the season. Despite five goals being scored, one of the biggest talking points in the game was surrounding City midfielder Rodri who was lucky to avoid receiving a second yellow card after stopping a Liverpool counter-attack.
Having been booked just moments before that foul, the Liverpool players pleaded with referee Simon Hooper to dismiss the Spaniard. However, he chose to only serve him with a warning but the protests from the visitors was deemed to be excessive and thus they have been charged for surrounding a match official by the FA.
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The full statement read: "Liverpool FC has been charged after its players surrounded a match official during the 34th minute of their Premier League game against Manchester City on Saturday 1 April.
"It's alleged that Liverpool FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly and/or do not behave in a way which is improper, and the club has until Wednesday 12 April to respond."
The Gunners, who face Liverpool this Sunday at Anfield, have also been dealt several FA charges this season for surrounding a match official. The club have been handed fines for incidents in clashes against Manchester City, Oxford, Newcastle and Leeds.
The reverse fixture against Liverpool also exploded into chaos following an incident involving Gabriel Magalhaes and Jordan Henderson. The FA confirmed the week after the disagreement that no disciplinary action would be taken.
Mikel Arteta takes his team to Merseyside on Sunday afternoon with the aim of ending a barren run against Liverpool. 2012 was the last time the Gunners beat Liverpool at Anfield in the league, but if there was any season where that record can be shattered it is now.
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