FA Have No Guts

The FA are again proving gutless as they are set to allow United muppet Gary Neville to escape punishment for a second time.

Neville made a single fingered gesture towards City star Carlos Tevez after the Argentine equalised for the blues in Tuesday’s derby but a report in The Express suggests Neville will not be punished.

Although the FA have apparently requested more footage from the BBC, it is thought that, because Neville didn’t aim his gesture towards the crowd and most would have missed it anyway, it is not a punishable offence.

Neville has been walking a thin line this season. Following September’s derby win over the blues, Neville ran the length of the touchline to celebrate in front of the visiting City supporters. That incident earned him a warning about his future conduct but it appears that the defender, and the FA, did not take the punishment seriously.

Meanwhile City’s two goal hero Carlos Tevez has hit out at Neville, calling him an idiot and a bootlicker. Prior to the game, Neville claimed Sir Alex Ferguson had been right not to sign the Argentine as he was not worth the £25m City paid for him.

Now the City striker has revealed that his goal celebration was aimed at Neville and says “he acted like a complete boot-licker when he said I wasn’t worth £25m just to suck up to the manager. I don’t know what the hell that idiot is talking about me for. I never said anything about him.”

City visit Old Trafford on Wednesday for the second leg and it is shaping up to be a volatile game, which has prompted the FA to write to both clubs asking them to calm down ahead of the game.

City need just a draw to reach their first final since 1981 and Tevez would take great pride at securing City’s place at Wembley by knocking out his former employers in their own back yard.