Arsenal, Chelsea fined by the English FA for failing to control their players

Both sets of players got involved in scuffles around the pitch

The Independent Regulatory Commission hearing has fined Chelsea and Arsenal £40,000 and £30,000 respectively and warned them about their future conduct after both clubs admitted to a breach of FA Rule E20, as confirmed on their website. The FA had slapped the following disciplinary sanctions regarding the London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal on Saturday ,19th September 2015.

Spanish striker Diego Costa had been charged for an alleged act of violent conduct which was not seen by the match official Mike Dean but caught on tape instead. Costa was guilty of obstructing play and instigating the Arsenal backline.

The London derby was evenly poised up until the minute Arsenal centre-back Gabriel was sent off for sticking his studs into the Chelsea striker, leaving the Gunners to play with 10 men for almost the entire second half. Costa had previously struck Laurent Koscielny on the face and brought him to the ground.

Gabriel and Costa were both shown a yellow by referee Mike Dean in the resulting spat which ensued. Goals from Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma and an own goal by Calum Chambers ensured Chelsea got off with all three points against a 9-man Arsenal, who lost Cazorla in the 79th minute.

Off the ball incidents which were not seen at the time of play by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees. Each referee in the panel member must review the video footage independently and determine whether they consider it to be an offence which warrants a red card. For any retrospective action to be taken, and an FA charge to follow, the decision by the panel must be unanimous.

Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel Paulista had been charged with improper conduct for his behaviour after his sending off whilst Gunners team-mate Santi Cazorla had been warned of his behaviour following his dismissal in the 79th minute.

Costas’s action drew the ire of National team boss Vicente Del Bosque who promptly dropped the forward from his squad for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Luxembourg and Ukraine whilst issuing the following statement – “He's (Costa) not been playing badly so it isn't about his form. Our decision had nothing to do with his Chelsea ban. That said, we mustn't condone what he did; I didn't like it, of course."

The Independent Regulatory Commission considered the previous disciplinary records of both clubs in reaching its decision on sanction.