Mitrovic could be suspended for ten games and Silva faces ban as FA confirms charges

The Fulham striker has been charged with violent conduct after barging into referee Chris Kavanagh during a frenzied few minutes in Fulham's 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Old Trafford.

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Mitrovic gave Fulham the lead against United but the game changed with a little more than 20 minutes to go, when Willian clearly blocked Jadon Sancho's goalbound shot on the line with his arm.

Kavanagh initially signalled for a corner but was sent by VAR Neil Swarbrick to the screen, where he dismissed a protesting Marco Silva before awarding a penalty and sending off Willian and then an incandescent Mitrovic - with only 40 seconds separating the three red cards.

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The FA have announced that the standard punishment' for a sending off for violent conduct - which carries a three-match ban - is 'clearly insufficient' in Mitrovic's case after he put his hands on the referee and screamed in his face.

The Serbian striker has also been found guilty of using 'improper, abusive insulting or threatening language'.

Reports suggest Fulham's top scorer could be hit with a ten-game suspension, which would rule him out until the final day of the Premier League season.

Fulham boss Silva faces a touchline ban having been charged too, while the club have also been charged with failing to control their players.

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A statement from the FA read: "Fulham, Marco Silva and Aleksandar Mitrovic have been charged following the incidents that took place in or around the 72nd minute of their tie against Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday 19th March.

"It's alleged thar Marco Silva used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the match referee; that he used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official prior to his dismissal; and that he also used abusive and/or insulting words and/or gestures and/or behaviour towards the fourth official after being sent off.

"It's further alleged that in throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee his behaviour was improper.

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"The FA has claimed that the standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksandar Mitrovic for the sending off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee is clearly insufficient.

"In addition, Aleksandar Mitrovic's behaviour and/or language was allegedly improper and/or abusive and/or insulting and/or threatening following his dismissal.

"It's also alleged that Fulham failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion."

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Speaking after the match, Silva said he accepts that both he and Mitrovic should've handled things better but pointed to some 'inconsistencies' of the officiating.

He told talkSPORT: "It's tough to take to accept some decisions… I'm not saying the VAR didn't do well but why didn't it do it in the first half twice? Mitrovic in the 18-yard box…

"That is difficult for us to understand. For me it's clear there are two moments. The first one is clear, it's clear a clear penalty when Luke Shaw pushed Mitrovic - clear, clear penalty. Later there were a bunch of players who pushed Mitrovic in the back.

"It's difficult to understand why with Manchester United they do one thing and why with Fulham they don't do the other thing.

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"At that moment of course with the red card for Willian, we should control it in a different way. Our emotions, I should be in the touchline and shouldn't be speaking with the referee in the moment he's going to see the screen.

"If that's the reason for him giving me the red card I have to accept that. I shouldn't have gone [to him].

"And of course in that moment Mitro should control the emotions."