The Athletic reports that bookmakers raised concerns with the FA after an unusual amount of money was placed on a Gunners player being cautioned during a game.

An FA statement said: “The FA is aware of the matter in question and is looking into it.”

It is understood that although the governing body is looking into the matter, it is not a formal investigation at this time.

Arsenal have declined to comment.

Spot-betting allows punters to place bets on specific details of matches – such as bookings, or the number of corners – rather than the overall outcome of a game.

In April 2018, defender Bradley Wood was banned from playing for six years after twice getting intentionally booked during Lincoln’s FA Cup run the previous season.

Wood received a five-year ban for match-fixing offences, and a further 12-month suspension after admitting 22 charges of betting on the outcome of matches and one charge of passing on information.

In September 2009, former Southampton and England midfielder Matt Le Tissier published an autobiography in which he revealed he had placed a spread bet on the timing of the first throw-in in a match in which he played.

Le Tissier tried to overhit a pass to teammate Neil Shipperley to force a throw-in, but failed to get the ball out of play. The matter was referred to Hampshire Police but the Crown Prosecution Service elected not to pursue a case.

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Gareth Southgate’s men won their World Cup qualifier 4-0 at a packed Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Hungary are to play two home matches behind closed doors, with a third game suspended, after being charged by UEFA over racist and homophobic chanting at Euro 2020.

But as Thursday’s match fell under FIFA’s jurisdiction, a full house was allowed into a match marred by bad fan behaviour.

Deafening jeers greeted England players taking the knee before kick-off and Sterling was pelted with missiles when celebrating the opening goal.

Further items were thrown on to the pitch, including a flare, with multiple reports of monkey chants being aimed at forward Sterling and substitute Bellingham as he warmed up.

The FA said in a statement: “It is extremely disappointing to hear reports of discriminatory actions towards some of our England players.

“We will be asking FIFA to investigate the matter.

“We continue to support the players and staff in our collective determination to highlight and tackle discrimination in all its forms.”

In 2019, England players were subjected to racist abuse in European Championship qualifiers in both Montenegro and Bulgaria.

England captain Harry Kane was unaware of any racist abuse in Hungary but said he would speak to his team-mates.

“I didn’t hear that,” he told ITV. “I’ll talk to the boys and see if they heard any of it.

“Look, we’ll have to report it to UEFA. If it’s the case then hopefully UEFA can come down strong.”

Jack Grealish said on social media that the atmosphere in the stadium was “unacceptable” and John Stones hopes action is taken.

“I personally didn’t hear it, I’ve been told about it after,” the England defender said.

“It is so sad to think that this happens at our games and I hope UEFA and whoever needs to take care of it does and I’m sure they will.

“We stand together as a team and we will continue fighting for what we believe in as a team and what we believe is right.”

Stones added: “I think we definitely have the mindset of ‘let the football do the talking’ and tonight we did that.

“We celebrated our goals as if it is the last one we will score and that is an incredible thing to have as a team and as players.

“We love the game and are so passionate for the shirt and how we conduct ourselves on the pitch. It is our passion, let our football do the talking and that showed tonight.”

UEFA confirmed any action would be taken by FIFA as the world governing body appointed the referee and delegate.

FIFA has yet to respond to the PA news agency’s request for comment on the incidents in Budapest.

Kick It Out said it was “appalled to see the actions of some Hungary fans”.

Chief executive Tony Burnett said: “We stand proudly in support of the England players and staff, who once again acted with strength, grace and integrity in the face of racism that has no place in our game or our society.

“This is not the first incident like this in Hungary, so we urge FIFA to investigate this matter urgently.

“Those responsible need to be held to account and steps need to be taken to ensure scenes like (this) are not repeated.”

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The Football Association has announced it informed the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of the review over this past weekend and vowed to identify those responsible for the “disgraceful scenes” both before and during the match.

An FA statement read: “We are determined to fully understand what happened outside and then inside Wembley Stadium at the UEFA EURO 2020 Final on Sunday, 11 July 2021.

“We informed DCMS at the weekend that an independent review led by Baroness Casey of Blackstock has been commissioned to report on the facts and circumstances involved. It will speak to all parties concerned and include external experts.”

The statement continued: “A key emphasis of the findings will be to ensure that lessons are learned and such disgraceful scenes are never able to be repeated.

“We continue to work with the relevant authorities in support of their efforts to identify those responsible and hold them to account.”

Troubled flared before the game as dozens of people forced their way into the stadium, while there were ugly scenes in the stands during the game, too.

Police have since released CCTV images of some of those they want to question.

Gareth Southgate’s men ultimately lost the final 3-2 on penalties after extra time had failed to separate the sides, with Leonardo Bonucci having cancelled out Luke Shaw’s early opener.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who had missed from the spot, were later racially abused on social media platforms.

The behaviour of both those who forced their way into Wembley and the online trolls has been widely condemned and cast a pall over hopes for the success of a proposed joint bid by the United Kingdom and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup finals.

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European Leagues outgoing president Lars-Christer Olsson revealed on Friday that the FA was one of 10 national associations who supported changes to the plans, and said a final decision on the formats for 2024 onwards would be taken at a Uefa executive committee meeting next Wednesday.

The FA’s letter is understood to have raised concerns over the impact on the domestic calendar, with the additional 100 games proposed likely to create an existential threat to the Carabao Cup.

Uefa’s ‘Horizon 2024’ proposal would have two clubs from across the continent qualifying based on historical co-efficient, so long as they had done enough domestically to qualify for one of its other competitions – the Europa League or the Europa Conference League.

From a Premier League perspective that could create a situation where a team finishing seventh might ‘leapfrog’ teams in fifth and sixth and qualify for a more lucrative competition, simply based on past European performance.

The league is understood to want access to be decided on domestic performance only.

The Uefa proposal would mean an extra 100 matches, something the Premier League is understood to be concerned by. It is especially determined that January should be kept free of European competition matches, as it always has been in the past.

Olsson confirmed that Uefa’s exco would take a decision on format first, and then decide on financial matters later.

‘Uefa is the competition organiser. The decision in the Uefa bodies is the final decision,’ Olsson said.

‘We are trying to influence the decisions before they are made, that’s it.’

Uefa is proposing to ditch the 32-team group stage featuring eight groups of four, and replace it with one 36-team league.

Each team would play 10 matches on a seeded basis under the so-called ‘Swiss system’. European Leagues likes the system, but believes there should be two less matches per side.

It also argues that no more than five teams from a single country should be able to enter the competition, as is the case now.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said at the European Leagues’ Club Advisory Platform on 10 March that Uefa’s plans would ‘devastate’ English football and said they were a ‘slow creep’ towards a European Super League.

Olsson admitted Europe’s biggest clubs were closer to Uefa than the leagues.

‘We have seen that in different decisions in the last decade and that is still the case,’ he said.

‘Uefa is a competition organiser and a governing body. They have to make their judgement and decide how they see the best way of organising their own competitions.

‘So far, we have to be honest and say the clubs have had more influence than we have had over recent developments. That might change over the future, but I am not so sure it will have an effect for the decisions now.’

Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of the European Club Association which is widely regarded as speaking on behalf of the continent’s top clubs, has described the Uefa proposal as ‘ideal’.

Olsson issued a warning to Uefa that more matches did not necessarily translate into greater interest, pointing out that the introduction of a second group phase in the Champions League at the start of the 21st century was ‘a total disaster’ which was quickly scrapped.

The post FA urges Uefa to make changes to new-look Champions League appeared first on SportsClub.

The 33-year-old summer signing produced a match-winning display at Southampton on November 29, providing an assist for Bruno Fernandes before netting a brace in a 3-2 comeback win.

Cavani posted a social media message on Instagram shortly after the match, replying to a message of congratulations using the Spanish term ‘negrito’, which translates as ‘black’.

The Uruguayan swiftly deleted the post and issued an apology after being made aware of the connotations, with the player releasing an apologetic statement the following day saying he was “completely opposed to racism”.

But the FA charged the striker with “misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3” in relation to his social media post on December 17 and has now banned him for three matches.

The governing body said in a statement: “Edinson Cavani has been suspended for three games, fined £100,000 and must complete face-to-face education after admitting a charge for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on Sunday 29 November 2020.

“A comment posted on the Manchester United FC striker’s Instagram page was insulting, abusive, improper and brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.

“The post also constitutes an “aggravated breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

“An independent Regulatory Commission was appointed to decide the sanction and its written reasons will be published in due course.”

Cavani will miss the Premier League match against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day along with the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City and the FA Cup third-round tie against Watford.

United are understood to have felt the striker should not have been charged given it was an inadvertent mistake by a non-English speaker and hope the £100,000 fine is used to support anti-racism projects.

The club said in a statement: “As he has stated, Edinson Cavani wasn’t aware that his words could have been misconstrued and he sincerely apologised for the post and to anyone who was offended,”

“Despite his honest belief that he was simply sending an affectionate thank you in response to a congratulatory message from a close friend, he chose not to contest the charge out of respect for, and solidarity with, The FA and the fight against racism in football.

“While it is clear that context and intent are key factors, we note that the independent Regulatory Commission was required to impose a minimum three game suspension.

“The club trusts that the independent Regulatory Commission will make it clear in its written reasons that Edinson Cavani is not a racist, nor was there any racist intent in relation to his post.”

The post Cavani handed three-match FA ban over racial term in social media post appeared first on SportsClub.

The 33-year-old Uruguayan posted a message on Instagram on 29 November which contained the word ‘negrito’.

He deleted the post and issued an apology, but on Thursday the FA announced he had been charged.

Edinson Cavani has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on Thursday 29 November 2020. Full statement: https://t.co/zMejmGck0h. pic.twitter.com/w2s6HTWy8c

— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) December 17, 2020

The FA said: ‘Edinson Cavani has been charged with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on November 29, 2020.

‘It is alleged that, contrary to FA Rule E3.1, a comment posted on the Manchester United FC player’s Instagram page was insulting and/or abusive and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.

‘It is further alleged that the comment constitutes an “Aggravated Breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin.’

The FA said Cavani had until Monday, 4 January to respond to the charge.

United issued a statement in response to the charge which read: ‘Manchester United and all of our players are fully committed to the fight against racism and we will continue to work with the FA – along with other governing bodies and organisations, and through our own campaigns – in that regard.

A club statement in response to the FA misconduct charge for @ECavaniOfficial.#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 17, 2020

‘We note the FA decision today to charge Edinson Cavani for his social media reply to a friend’s message of congratulations, following the Southampton game.

‘Edinson and the club were clear that there was absolutely no malicious intent behind the message, which he deleted and apologised for, as soon as he was informed that it could have been misconstrued.

‘The player and the club will now consider the charge and respond to the FA accordingly.’

Cavani issued an apology on 30 November.

‘The message I posted after the game on Sunday was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game. The last thing I wanted to do was cause offence to anyone,’ he said.

‘I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently.

‘I would like to sincerely apologise for this.’

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Peter McCormick, chairman of the FA’s professional game board, has been named as interim chairman after Clarke stepped down amid a storm of criticism.

The 63-year-old apologised after he used the word ‘coloured’ to describe black players and insinuated that being gay was a ‘life choice’.

His comments, over a video link before a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, were branded ‘harmful’, ‘archaic’ and ‘deeply offensive’ by a host of anti-discrimination groups.

Clarke was also condemned for saying that black and South Asian people had ‘different career interests’ from each other, and drew complaints for saying a women’s coach had told him that the lack of women’s goalkeepers was due to girls not liking the ball being kicked at them.

The FA announced Clarke’s resignation early on Tuesday evening and Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari welcomed the swift action taken.

Bhandari said on Sky Sports News: ‘We are not just talking about anybody here, we are talking about the leader of our national game on a really major strategic issue for the FA, which is driving greater diversity and inclusion, making everyone feel they belong in the game.

‘These were archaic attitudes which were really revealing themselves in comment after comment – a well-briefed chair or CEO would know exactly how to navigate that.

‘It is not as if this is the first time, there have been previous incidents – like referring to institutional racism as “fluff”.

‘What it shows is there is an attitude underlying which is really not the right attitude to be leading the English game.’

The FA finds itself embroiled in new controversy just two weeks after it launched a new diversity code, which aims to ensure more candidates from ethnic minorities can land top jobs.

In 2017, former England forward Lianne Sanderson gave evidence alongside Eniola Aluko at a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of racism within the game during which Clarke was criticised for describing the accusations as ‘fluff’.

Sanderson believes Tuesday’s developments show how much work there is still to be done on the drive for equality.

‘I often question how these people get into these positions in the first place, and then we wonder why racism and homophobia is on the rise,’ Sanderson told Sky Sports News.

In announcing Clarke’s departure, the FA said: ‘We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.’

The FA is yet to set out the process for the appointment of his successor, but the preferred candidate would need to be approved by the FA Council.

Clarke is also one of three Fifa vice-presidents representing Uefa and reports on Tuesday night suggested he will step away from that role too.

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston wrote on Twitter: ‘Greg Clarke’s comments in front of today’s DCMS Select Committee have caused deep offence and were completely unacceptable. I acknowledge his decades of service to football and his apology, but he was right to stand down as chairman of the FA.

‘We must ensure that opportunities are open to everyone in the sports sector – from athletes to board members – and all forms of discrimination must be tackled head on. I will continue to work with the FA and other bodies to ensure our national game positively leads by example.’

Equality campaigners Stonewall UK said: ‘The language we use matters, which is why it’s a shame Greg Clarke used such a harmful phrase like “life choice” to describe being gay.

‘It was also deeply upsetting to hear the archaic words and stereotypes he used to describe black and Asian people, along with sexist stereotypes about players from the women’s game.’

‘There are some people who will use a statement like this from the FA chairman as a way to prop up their homophobia.’

Former DCMS committee chair Damian Collins hopes Clarke’s resignation will bring about some much-needed change at the governing body.

Collins said on Twitter: ‘Greg Clarke’s departure as FA chairman should be a moment for fundamental reform of the governance of football in England.

‘We need a body that shows real leadership on player development and welfare, fan engagement, inclusion and financial sustainability.’

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How many games are left in the EFL?

There are 326 EFL matches left in the regular season after it was postponed in March. Collectively Sky Bet Championship clubs have 108 games to play while there are 106 matches left in Sky Bet League One and 112 in Sky Bet League Two.

How many rounds of fixtures are needed to finish the season?

In the Sky Bet Championship every team has nine matches left but it is more complicated for Leagues One and Two.

Not every side has played the same amount of games – seven clubs in League One, including leaders Coventry have two games in hand on others.

Both League One and League Two would need 11 rounds of fixtures.

Does the 56-day spell include the play-offs?

Yes, it would mean squeezing another three rounds of games – the two legged semi-finals and the final – if the format remains the same.

The EFL could yet decide to have one legged semi-finals at a neutral venue which would save one game.

How often will teams have to play?

Championship teams who reach the play-offs will have to play a game every 4.7 days on average. For teams in League One and Two, it will be a game every four days.

Has this level of congestion happened before?

There have been more congested 56-day stretches in recent years. The most cramped since the turn of the century was the 162 matches which were played in League One from February 14 to April 9, 2012.

There have also been two clubs who have endured a run of 17 matches within a 56-day period since the turn of the century.

Burton, from March 1 to April 25, 2011, and Crawley, from February 22 to April 18, 2014, had to play through a packed schedule.

Who has the lightest schedule?

Ipswich and Sunderland only have eight matches remaining, though both could still qualify for the play-offs so can still face up to 11 games.

Any team with only nine games remaining and no chance of reaching the play-offs will have the lowest number of matches to play.

Sides in Leagues One and Two who have 10 league matches remaining and could potentially be involved in the play-offs face the busiest schedule.

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The PA news agency understands the Football Association is in discussions about moving the traditional opening fixture in the men’s club season away from Wembley, and possibly outside London.

The 16-team women’s tournament runs from 7 July to 1 August, with Wembley hosting the final.

It is understood the Community Shield will not be moved outside England, with some countries having opted to play their equivalent match overseas.

The showpiece match, known as the Charity Shield until 2002, has traditionally been played at Wembley since 1974 except when the national stadium was being rebuilt.

The current holders are Manchester City, who beat runaway league-leaders Liverpool on penalties in August 2019.

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The PA news agency understands the England player, 23, has been contacted concerning a Snapchat video he posted on Saturday.

In it, he joked about the virus outbreak and appeared to mock an Asian man. The coronavirus has so far claimed the lives of over 900 people in mainland China, according to official figures.

Alli apologised for the Snapchat post in a video on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Sunday.

‘Hi guys, it’s Dele; I just wanted to apologise on my behalf for the video I posted on Snapchat yesterday,’ he said.

‘It wasn’t funny and I realised that immediately and took it down. I let myself down and the club.

‘I don’t want you to have that impression of me because it wasn’t funny and I realised that straight away and took it down.

‘It isn’t something that should be joked about. I’m sending all my love and all my thoughts and prayers to everyone in China.’

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