Shady goals lead to shady fines in the EPL

One of the craziest finishes in recent EPL history took place on Saturday as Arsenal looked like they would hang on for a 1-0 win at Sunderland.

They survived the allotted four minutes of injury time so they were understandably shocked when Darren Bent banged home a rebound in the 95th minute. There was no reason for the additional time after the first four minutes and that's what Arsenal coach Arsene Wegner was so pissed that he reportedly pushed a referee following the goal.

Today, Wegner was formally charged by the Football Association with a misconduct charge.

The Arsenal boss remonstrated with match officials and appeared to prod the fourth official, Martin Atkinson, in the back. The FA has taken a dim view of his actions.

A statement from the FA read: "Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been charged with using insulting and/or abusive language and behaviour amounting to improper conduct. The charges relate to Wenger's conduct towards match officials at the conclusion of Arsenal's match against Sunderland on 18 September.

"Under The FA's new fast-track procedures, Wenger has until Thursday 23 September to respond to the charge and he has been offered a standard sanction of a one-match touchline ban and an £8,000 fine should he accept the charge. If he denies the charge, the case will be heard by a Regulatory Commission."

Wenger could not see why any additional time should have been played beyond the allotted added time.

Speaking after the match, refereed by Phil Dowd who sent of Gunners midfielder Alex Song for two yellow cards, the Arsenal manager lamented: "It was outside the 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. But I cannot do anything about that."

Asked about a suggestion he had put his hands on Atkinson, Wenger replied: "Take the pictures and look at it. I complain to nobody, especially not to you."

Last season, Wenger received an apology from referees chief Keith Hackett over his dismissal during the Gunners' 2-1 loss to Manchester United during August 2009.

Wenger was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean in the dying moments at Old Trafford on the advice of fourth official Lee Probert after the Arsenal manager kicked a water bottle following a disallowed goal which would have been a last-minute equaliser.

After his sending off, Wenger was unaware of where to go and firstly moved to the Arsenal dugout, then the main stand before being ushered along the touchline to the tunnel.

If it's true or not doesn't really matter since Wegner will likely pay in one form or another. I don't hold it against him one bit since it was a joke call that went against his team on the road against an underdog. Arsenal got jobbed: he knows it, Martin Atkinson knows it and the FA knows it too but the later two are trying their best to cover up for each other.