Wenger fined, suspended for Sunderland spat

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined and given a one-match ban following his spat with a match official at the end of his team’s draw with Sunderland, the Football Association said Tuesday.

It follows an incident at the Stadium of Light on Saturday when a furious Wenger remonstrated with fourth official Martin Atkinson after Sunderland had equalised in the fifth minute of injury time.

Wenger appeared to gently push Atkinson on the back after Darren Bent had scored 15 seconds after the end of the allotted four minutes of stoppage time.

Wenger was fined 8,000 pounds and given a one-match touchline ban which will rule him out of the dugout for Arsenal’s League Cup tie with Tottenham later Tuesday, a statement from the FA said.

“Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted a charge of using insulting and/or abusive language and behaviour amounting to improper conduct,” the statement said.

“Wenger has accepted the standard sanction of an 8,000 pounds fine and a one-match touchline ban which will be served with immediate effect at Arsenal’s League Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur this evening (Tuesday).

“The charge related to Wenger’s conduct towards match officials at the conclusion of Arsenal’s match against Sunderland on 18 September.”

Wenger had complained at the fact that Sunderland’s late goal had come outside the indicated four minutes.

“I know the referee can give more than four, it’s a minimum of four minutes, but in the four minutes nothing happened to justify the extension of the time,” Wenger complained.