Man City, Chelsea fined for melee

LONDON (AP):

Manchester City and Chelsea have been fined a combined 135,000 pounds (US$170,000) by the English Football Association after their players were involved in a melee in the closing stages of a Premier League match.

The FA said yesterday that both clubs accepted they failed to "ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour."

City were fined 35,000 pounds (US$44,000) and Chelsea 100,000 pounds (US$126,000).

The melee happened deep in injury time of Chelsea's 3-1 win at Etihad Stadium on December 3. It was sparked by a studs-first lunge by City striker Sergio Aguero on David Luiz, which earned Aguero a red card. Both sets of players clashed and City midfielder Fernandinho was also sent off for grabbing Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas by the neck and pushing him over an advertising hoarding.