Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha could face a ban after swearing into a television camera following his winning goal against Arsenal. The Brazilian came off the bench to score the decisive goal in a 3-2 victory at the Emirates Stadium, curling the ball into the bottom corner after a fine build-up involving Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
As he celebrated in front of the travelling fans, Cunha grabbed a camera and shouted an expletive down the lens. Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury was forced to apologise for the outburst, saying: “If you heard some bad language in among the celebrations, for that we apologise.”
According to Football Association rules, “offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures” can result in a player being sent off. The FA also has the power to take retroactive disciplinary action if the incident is caught on camera and broadcast to a wide audience. Swearing directly into a lens is considered a “clear and deliberate” act of misconduct that brings the game into disrepute.
The incident echoes a similar case in 2011, when Wayne Rooney was handed a two-match ban for swearing down a camera after scoring a hat-trick for Manchester United against West Ham. Rooney was charged with “use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language” and missed an FA Cup semi-final as a result.
