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Manchester United news: Jose Mourinho facing three-game touchline ban but club chiefs won't censure him

In what is the worst sequence of managerial disciplinary offences his club has known, Mourinho was charged by the FA following his dismissal during United’s home game with West Ham

Ian Herbert
Chief Sports Writer
Monday 28 November 2016 21:31 GMT
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Mourinho once again found himself banished to the stands for his touchline antics during Sunday's match against West Ham
Mourinho once again found himself banished to the stands for his touchline antics during Sunday's match against West Ham (Getty)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will escape reprimand from this own club despite being charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for the second time in the space of a month – a development which could see him banned from the dug-out for three games.

In what is the worst sequence of managerial disciplinary offences his club has known, Mourinho was charged by the Football Association following his dismissal in the 27th minute of United’s home game with West Ham United on Sunday.

Though the repeat offence of misconduct makes a stadium ban a possibility, that severity of punishment is thought to be unlikely. The sequence of offences also runs the risk of damaging United’s reputation, yet it is thought unlikely that the Portuguese will be reprimanded or spoken to. His conduct is viewed within Old Trafford as the same kind of competitiveness which made Sir Alex Ferguson so competitive and successful.

The latest episode saw referee Jon Moss dismiss Mourinho after the United's Paul Pogba was booked by referee Jon Moss for diving - a decision that replays proved to be correct. The Portuguese coach’s dismissal was his third in just over a year and, although the manager may have been unsighted from his vantage point, the sanction may well be stronger than the one-game bans he received for the previous two incidents.

Mark Clattenburg sent off Mourinho for verbal misconduct in the draw with Burnley at Old Trafford and the current charge falls well inside the 12-month period during which the Football Association can take previous incidents into account. His first sending-off was just over a year ago when Mourinho was Chelsea manager – also against West Ham, at Upton Park, when Moss was the referee.

The 1-1 draw against West Ham on Sunday left United with their lowest points return from 13 league games – 20 – since the 1989-90 campaign. It was also United’s fourth straight home league draw. The two teams are due to meet again at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening in an EFL Cup quarter-final tie.

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