FA appeal verdict on Jose

JOSE MOURINHO could yet face a touchline ban for using “abusive, insulting or improper” language after the FA appealed against the findings of an independent commission.

The FA were surprised when the independent regulatory commission found his case “not proven” after he swore into a camera following United’s last-gasp win over Newcastle on October 6.

And after considering the written reasons for the commission’s decision to throw out the charge, the governing body decided yesterday to reignite the case.

Mourinho, right, had not disputed the fact he had used the words “vão levar no cu, filhos da puta” as he walked towards the tunnel at Old Trafford following a 3-2 win which relieved pressure on his position. But while the FA employed lip-reading experts who interpreted the words to mean “**** off you sons of bitches”, Mourinho’s language expert countered in the context it instead meant “**** yeah” or “hell yeah”. The commission concluded: “We accept evidence that a typical person fluent in Portuguese colloquialisms would not feel insulted or offended from what they saw or interpreted from the footage.” But yesterday’s FA statement said: “Having carefully considered the written reasons of the independent regulatory commission we can confirm we are appealing the decision.” The new hearing is not scheduled until next week, so Mourinho will be in the dugout for the Manchester derby at the Etihad on Sunday.