Southampton boss Mark Hughes set for FA charge and touchline ban after blasting ref Jon Moss
Welshman looks like being on the bench for Saints' crucial final two Premier League games for letting rip over free kick
MARK HUGHES is set for an FA charge and potential touchline ban after his verbal blast at ref Jon Moss.
But it will not prevent the Welshman being on the bench for Southampton’s crucial final two Premier League games.
Saints boss Sparky blew his stack at Moss after Everton’s deflected 96th minute equaliser at Goodison on Saturday.
Hughes was furious that Moss gave a foul against Nathan Redmond by the Everton corner flag at the start of the move that ended with Tom Davies’ goal.
The Southampton manager was angry that Everton took the free-kick quickly, some 12 yards from the spot the foul was adjudged to have been committed.
Hughes said: “The assistant referee is two or three yards away and clearly sees it isn’t a foul.
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“But Jon Moss - as he usually is, 30 yards behind play - decided to give a free-kick."
Asked if he had spoken to the official, Hughes replied: “What’s the point? He’s probably getting his breath back.”
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Hughes’ comments about Moss’ performance would have left him open to a potential charge in their own right.
But his other comments about the referee make a charge virtually certain as FA disciplinary beaks will view them as unacceptable.
Discussing Maya Yoshida’s second yellow card, Hughes added: “There was a likelihood, considering it was Jon Moss, he would give a red card.
“Before games we shouldn’t worry about which referees we have got. But it happens too often and that’s what everybody does.
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“You worry about the referees being strong enough, getting key decisions correct or incorrect. They should be the best and, unfortunately, they are not."
FA regulations state: “Post-match media comments which criticise the performance or competence of a match official are permitted.
“But a participant will be considered to be in breach of FA Rule E3[1] if their media comments about a match official: imply bias; attack their integrity; are particularly personally offensive in nature.”
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Hughes’ specific criticisms of Moss’ fitness and fairness mean he appears to have breached those regulations.
But the FA will have until Wednesday to contact the Welshman and ask for his written observations before a charge is levelled.
Hughes then have another three working days - taking it to next Monday - to reply with any hearing unlikely for at least another week, well after the end of the season.