Duo shown Colchester exit door

Duo shown Colchester exit door

Published Dec. 13, 2012 1:15 p.m. ET

England U21 pair Steven Caulker and Thomas Ince have been banned for their parts in the melee that followed the clash with Serbia U21s.

Ugly scenes erupted in Krusevac on 16 October after Stuart Pearce's side secured their passage to next year's European Championships with a 2-0 aggregate victory.

Danny Rose was shown a second yellow and consequent red card after he kicked the ball into the crowd at the final whistle - sparking a mass brawl that involved most players as well as officials and members of both management teams.

After a lengthy inquiry, UEFA's disciplinary panel hit Blackpool starlet Ince with a one-match suspension, while Caulker of Tottenham has been banned for two.

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The bans are applicable only to games sanctioned by UEFA, meaning that Caulker will miss the England U21 clashes with Italy and Norway and Ince will be absent against Italy only.

Serbia, meanwhile, have been fined 80,000 euros for their part in the melee, and they must play their next UEFA competition home match behind closed doors.

In addition, four of their players have been suspended - Goran Causic, Ognjen Mudrinski, Filip Malbasic and Nikola Ninkovic for four, three, three and two games respectively - and coaches Andreja Milunovic and Predrag Katic are banned from football-related activities for two years.

Proceedings against the English FA, as well as Serbia player Aleksandar Pantic, were dismissed.

The Irishman has missed two games with a thigh injury and will not be risked if he is not fully fit after centre-backs Gavin Gunning and Brian McLean helped United keep clean sheets at Stranraer and Dundee in his absence.

Manager Peter Houston said: "It's touch and go whether he comes back on Saturday. He is doubtful."

Inverness come to Tannadice having lost just once since their 4-0 victory over United on September 29, which was their first Scottish Premier League win of the season.

Houston said: "I think we gave Inverness the confidence to go on this run by scoring four goals against us. They have never looked back since that day.

"We have to be like we have done in the last couple of games and get a clean sheet at least. But we know Inverness will not come down to sit behind the ball.

"They will come to try and win the game and it's only a couple of seasons ago that they came and scored four against us here.

"We have had bad days against Inverness in the past couple of years but we have had good days as well and hopefully Saturday we can make sure it's a good day."

Pictures taken during the fourth-round tie at Stamford Bridge on October 31 appeared to show a fan making a "monkey" gesture.

A 28-year-old man was arrested over alleged racist behaviour and banned by Chelsea.

In response to today's decision, a club spokesman said: "We're currently reviewing the situation."

Other fans in the crowd were interviewed and CCTV footage has been examined but "a decision was taken with the Crown Prosecution Service to proceed with no further action," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

He added: "The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) takes any allegation of racist chanting and/or behaviour very seriously and if any matters are brought to our attention they will of course be thoroughly investigated.

"The MPS routinely work very closely with football clubs and partner agencies to monitor behaviour to ensure public confidence and safety."

Steven Anderson's red card at St Mirren last week rules him out, while fellow centre-back Frazer Wright will also miss the game after going over the penalty-points threshold.

Skipper Dave Mackay still has one match to go of a two-game ban, while midfielder Chris Millar is also banned after being red carded in the 1-1 draw against the Buddies.

McCracken had to have surgery after picking up the injury when he clashed heads with Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama during the 1-1 draw at Parkhead on November 11.

The former Dundee United stopper was expected to be out for six weeks but Lomas said: "We will have a chat about it.

"David has been training non-contact for a while but I won't be taking a chance on him.

"I wouldn't do anything like that, we will take advice from the doctor."

The 31-year-old "reluctantly" accepted the punishment after the charge arose from an incident after City's derby defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

"Manchester City's Gareth Barry will serve a one-match suspension with immediate effect after admitting a breach of FA Rule E3 in that he used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official following his side's match against Manchester United on Sunday 9 December 2012," said the FA's statement.

"Also as part of the standard penalty for this offence, Barry has been fined £8,000."

In posting the statement on their website City said "both the club and Gareth Barry reluctantly accept the punishment which leads to Gareth being unavailable to take part in the weekend's match against Newcastle."

Barry will be available for selection again for the home game against Reading on December 22.

Barry has started 15 of the last 17 matches both domestically and in the Champions League and plays a vital part in the defensive balance of the side.

Having lost to United, Mancini's side are now six points adrift of their nearest rivals and only four ahead of third-placed Chelsea.

They have taken five points from a possible 12 and need to get back to winning ways at St James' Park against a Newcastle team who have won just once in 10 matches.

City captain Vincent Kompany has rejected suggestions the team suffered a psychological blow in their derby defeat and insists the players' outlook has not altered.

United defender Patrice Evra claimed they now had the mental edge after Sunday's win at the Etihad Stadium, City's first home league defeat in almost two years.

Kompany brushed that off, however, and stressed the squad was focusing on this weekend's trip to Newcastle.

"I don't know anything about psychological blows," he said. "Losing on Sunday changes nothing. We lost and we move on to the next game.

"The beauty of football is that you are always challenged, whether you have lost or won, and the next game is always the most important.

"We all know the importance of the (Newcastle) game but I don't do very well in bad-scenario thinking.

"For me there are so many positives that can happen if we win that game. I can't think of the other side of that coin.

"We have done it many times before and we need to get back in that mindset. If we do that, good things will come for us.

"Newcastle away is just as difficult as the game we had on Sunday but nothing comes easy in the Premier League.

"It's a difficult game for us but it's also a tough one for Newcastle as well."

Kompany is a doubt for the trip to St James' Park after sustaining a groin injury against United.

"Three days after the injury is a little bit too early to call," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"It's a difficult one. I went off because I felt something, so we will see how long it takes me."

Fellow defender Micah Richards is currently recovering from a longer-term problem but hopes to return by early February.

The 24-year-old tore the meniscus in his right knee and underwent surgery in October, but is gradually making progress in his rehabilitation.

"I am not putting a date on when I will be back because these things are never exact, but I am hoping it will be in early February," he told mcfc.co.uk.

"There is still not too much I can do but I am now on one crutch instead of two so that is progress, the injury is responding and the knee getting stronger every day."

In the lingering gloom of their derby defeat, City have been boosted midfielder Yaya Toure declaring he wants to see out the remainder of his career at the club.

The Ivory Coast international has become a hugely influential figure in Roberto Mancini's side since arriving from Barcelona in the summer of 2010.

"Nobody knows what the next step is in football but this is where I want to be," the 29-year-old said. "I believe I have to work harder all the time to improve and stay at the top level with this club.

"I want to continue winning titles and trophies with City. I believe we are just at the beginning of our journey.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to finish my career as a Manchester City player."

James-Lewis joined the club from Southend but had yet to break into the first-team and, with his contract expiring at the end of the month, the club decided not to offer him a renewal.

Chelsea midfielder Nkumu had not done enough to force his way into manager Joe Dunne's plans after arriving on a short-term loan deal.

Dunne told Colchester's official website: ""As I've said before, with the lads in the Under 21s I need to look at how their progression is going in getting towards the first team and Merrick was some distance from that side.

"Letting him go now gives him a chance to find a club in the January window.

"Archie struggled with injuries during his time here. He's technically a good player, given his Chelsea background, but he found it difficult here.

"He's been a good lad, who was willing to do well, but it's not kicked off with us and I need to move on.

"I made the decision that he goes back to Chelsea and I will now look to recruit elsewhere."

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