Diego Costa faces 3-match ban

Diego Costa is facing a potential three-match ban after being charged with “an alleged act of violent conduct” by the English Football Association in the wake of Chelsea’s fractious derby victory over Arsenal last Saturday.

The governing body confirmed in a statement yesterday that the referee, Mike Dean, had not witnessed Costa’s clash with Laurent Koscielny two minutes before the interval. The Spain forward put his hands in the defender’s face, and then swung his left arm round and made further contact with Koscielny, who he then chest-bumped to the turf when the centre-half reacted to the contact.

Costa has until 6p.m. this evening to respond to the charge.

The Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista, despite initially appearing to be acting as a peacemaker, had clashed with Costa immediately after the spat with Koscielny, with striker and defender booked. However, they continued to row while retreating back to the halfway line, where Gabriel flicked a heel at the striker, prompting Dean, after consulting one of his assistants, to dismiss the Brazilian defender.

Gabriel has been charged with improper conduct after arguing his case in the aftermath of the red card, and having to be ushered of the turf by his teammate Héctor Bellerín and Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and Oscar.