Johnson in dugout for match against Accies

LEE Johnson will be in the dugout when Sunderland face Accrington Stanley today – and the Black Cats boss intends to contest any FA charge arising from his midweek red card.

Johnson was sent to the stands in injury-time during Sunderland’s 3-1 defeat against Lincoln City at the Stadium of Light after becoming embroiled in a touchline melee sparked by Callum Doyle’s poor challenge on the Imps’ Lewis Fiorini.

As players from both sides gathered in a pushing and shoving match in front of the dugouts, Johnson also became involved in an altercation with Conor McGrandles, and when the situation calmed down, referee Jeremy Simpson booked Doyle and McGrandles – but showed Johnson a red card.

The FA has yet to confirm that Johnson has been charged following the incident, but Johnson said today that he intends to ask for a personal hearing and claim “selfdefence”, which suggests that he has been notified that a charge is to be expected.

But nothing will be settled before Sunderland’s game against Accrington at the Crown Ground, meaning he will be able to take his place in the dugout.

“The procedure for managers is that you get charged, and then when that charge comes I will be asking for a personal hearing,” he said. “It’s very difficult when an 18-year-old [Doyle] is on the floor being attacked, and someone is steaming down your throat at 100mph from 15 yards away, not to put your arm up in self-defence.

“That incident will be looked at and I will do everything I can to argue my case and, in my opinion, I should be let off.

“I will be in the dugout at Accrington, though.”

Both Sunderland and Lincoln could also face “mass confrontation” charges stemming from the incident, but again there has been no word as yet from the FA.

Johnson said: “I’ve been so focused on the game, and helping the recruitment guys where I can, that I haven’t reviewed the incident as yet.

“Sometimes when you look at it again it can be different to what’s in your mind’s eye, but I haven’t seen the extent of it yet.

“Normally, though, in a scenario like that – particularly around the bench – there will be a charge of mass confrontation, but it’s a hard one because how do you stop it?

“You can stop it when it is over the far side, but when there are so many bodies...

“And I think ‘mass’ counts as three bodies. One player plus another two, so anything above that and naturally you are going to have a charge to answer. The other option is to lay down and die all the time and allow yourself to be bullied, so it is a fine line.”

At Accrington, Johnson is hoping to have “two or three” players available again as the Covid outbreak and injury situation begins to ease.

Sunderland were without six players against Lincoln due to Covid, and a similar number due to injuries.

But Carl Winchester will serve a one-match suspension tomorrow following his red card for a professional foul against Lincoln, while Alex Pritchard is rated only 50-50 to play, just as he was going into the Lincoln game in midweek when he completed 80 minutes.