Sunderland facing FA charge and possible fine
Sunderland and Burton Albion have been charged by the FA with a breach of rule E20 after an off-the-ball scuffle last Saturday.
The two clubs have until Friday to answer the charge and could be facing a minor fine as a result of the incident.
Sunderland will be charged £2,500 if they accept the charge, and £3,750 if they deny it, but are subsequently found guilty by a regulatory commission.
Aiden O’Brien and Josh Earl were both shown a yellow card as a result of the confrontation, and though a number of other players were involved in the aftermath, no further action was taken by the referee.
Earl had been booked early in the game and was therefore sent off.
An FA statement reads: "Burton Albion FC and Sunderland AFC have both been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20 following their EFL League One fixture on Saturday [20/02/21].
"Both clubs allegedly failed to ensure that their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 55th minute of the fixture and they have until Friday [26/02/21] to provide their responses."
Burton boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink bemoaned the ‘stupid’ red card after the game.
"Josh gets a second yellow card, and it is stupid how we got that,” he said.
"I can’t defend him. He has a yellow card, and he needs to stay away from that incident as he knows referees can give cards in those situations. And then it becomes very difficult against a Sunderland team playing with ten men.”