The Football Association has charged Chelsea striker, Diego Costa, with misconduct after the Spaniard was sent off in Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Everton.
Costa, who has until Thursday to respond to the charge, was shown a second yellow in the 84th minute after reacting angrily to a tackle from Everton’s Gareth Barry late in the second half.
Replays appeared to show the former Atletico Madrid man opening his mouth toward Barry’s neck while the pair were tangled together, though Barry said he was not bitten.
“It is alleged his behaviour, after being shown a second yellow card in the game, amounted to improper conduct,” an FA statement said.
The FA also warned that Costa has until Wednesday to explain a gesture directed to Everton fans at half-time.
His automatic one-match ban for his red card, which rules him out of Saturday’s Premier League clash with West Ham, could be extended if the charge is proven and if he is also sanctioned for the alleged gesture.
Barry was sent off three minutes later for a second yellow card and will miss Everton’s game with Arsenal on Saturday.
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink, who said his player had been “chased” during the game, later joked that he and Costa should watch the film “Anger Management” together after a catalogue of incidents since his £32 million arrival at Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2014.
Costa is no stranger to controversy and had collected his 10th Chelsea yellow card of the season before seeing red.
He has twice been handed three-match retrospective bans by the FA.
The Brazil-born forward helped Chelsea win the Premier League title in his first season at the club, scoring 20 goals last season, but has struggled to replicate that form this term.
