Special Dispensation

These days, a manager who abuses a match official is asking for trouble and generally speaking he can expect the F.A. to throw the book at him. In fact, even daring to disagree with a referee’s decisions (especially when they are wrong ones) carries the risk of severe censure and a heavy fine.

Unless your name is Jose Mourinho, in which case different rules seem to apply – though no-one knows why.

Especially Arsene Wenger.

It will be interesting to see what punishment the faceless people in the F.A. disciplinary committee inflict upon the Arsenal manager for doing less to Steve Bennett than the self-styled Special One did to Mike Riley.

Particularly if they take account of the fact that Mike Riley, unlike Bennett, had quite a good game.