Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for speaking about a referee ahead of an English Premier League match.
Although the FA didn't specify on Thursday which comment prompted the charge, it is likely to stem from Pardew's plea to referee Howard Webb to protect controversial midfielder Joey Barton from being targeted by Sunderland players in the Aug. 20 match.
In a media conference on the eve of the game, Pardew said Webb needed ''to make sure he referees the game from a completely neutral point of view ... the referee will need to be astute.''
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson fell foul of the same rule last season, even though he praised Webb in the buildup to a crucial match against Chelsea.
