Darren Fletcher 'faces FA charge' after exposing what Man Utd players 'had to deal with'

View 2 Images

Darren Fletcher has been told he could be punished by the Football Association following his remarks regarding Manchester United's Youth Cup final against Manchester City . The latter prevailed in the showpiece encounter on Thursday evening, with Fletcher venting his frustration at how his team were handled in the build-up and aftermath.

The 7,000-capacity Joie Stadium hosting the final dominated headlines earlier this week, with City determining the fixture could not be played at the Etihad Stadium while United proposed to stage it at Old Trafford.

Fletcher has subsequently challenged the FA's management of numerous factors with former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believing he may face sanctions.

"I can understand the disappointment of Fletcher dealing with a loss in a final to their rivals," he said as per Football Insider. "However, protesting after the event and the way it has been reported will more than likely land him with a charge of bringing the game into disrepute.

"It hardly sets the right tone, either, to his young players. I would suggest that his boss at United might well offer him some operational advice."

Fletcher spoke openly following the match on several subjects, including his frustration at feeling the FA had allowed City to treat the competition as though it were their own.

He said: "Not only to watch a team lift a trophy, but to be a Man City parade when it's an FA Youth Cup final. I've never heard individual coaches be shouted out, every individual player be shouted out.

"That doesn't happen in cup finals. So I'm disappointed in the FA for everything that's gone around this game, for the location, for everything. And then our players having to deal with that.

F OLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

"But as you say, it's disappointing. You have to stand there. You have to respect the opposition. But not when Man City take over an FA Youth Cup. It's an FA competition. It should never have been like that. But that's my one gripe for tonight. But the best team won, compliments to them."

City were granted special permission to stage their Youth Cup fixtures at the Joie Stadium and pushed back against criticism over the final being held there. Fletcher did lavish praise on City but delivered an unambiguous response when questioned about whether the FA had needed to take 'control back' in the Youth Cup.

He replied: "Probably a little bit. If you see the things that have gone on throughout this game, it's a historic competition.

"So there's been a lot of disappointments in the build-up. But what I will say is Man City have got a fantastic manager. He's a great, really nice guy. Dead respectful. Coaches his team the right way.

View 2 Images

"You know, no antics on the sidelines between both of us. So I've got a massive respect for them. And their players have got a lot of good players. But, you know, it's an FA competition and it felt like it was a Man City competition for this whole build-up to the game in terms of how we had to deal with that at the end there.

"So that was my one little bit of disappointment from that is that these things are looked at. You know, we have other things with the Under-21s game being 48 hours after this. So some of our players aren't going to experience that.