PREMIER LEAGUE clubs will urge FA chiefs to sort out the game’s disciplinary regulations this summer.
Top bosses are growing increasingly unhappy about what they see as an inconsistent applications of the rules.
And the clubs and Prem chiefs plan a summit meeting when they will seek to push for a reform of the FA process – although the precise nature of the clubs’ wishes has yet to be thrashed out.
This season has seen Manchester City lose Sergio Aguero for three matches retrospectively for an elbow that took place right in front of referee Andre Marriner.
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Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo, though, escaped any sanction for two-footed lunges against Everton and Crystal Palace and his apparent stamp on Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, which Michael Oliver reported he had spotted at the time.
Other incidents this season saw Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings banned for five games after cameras spotted him landing on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s head in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
An incident two minutes later, in which the Swede put in what appeared a “revenge” elbow hit on the Bournemouth man, brought him a three-match suspension.
But there was no action over what many suggested might have been a stamp by Ibrahimovic on Mings to spark the first clash.
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And Middlesbrough keeper Victor Valdes escaped sanction when he pushed Tottenham’s Dele Alli in the face twice during his side’s defeat at White Hart Lane last month after ref Mark Clattenburg reported he had seen and dealt with the incident.
SunSport understands there is “disquiet” among Prem clubs about the inconsistencies in the treatment of different incidents.
Under current regulations, potential red-card clashes can be referred to a three-man panel of former referees – who must then agree unanimously that the incident was violent conduct – if it is not seen or reported by the match officials.
But clubs believe that puts referees in a position where they are under pressure to “lie” over what they did or did not see.
The growing feeling is that the regulations, as they stand, create discrepancies in the way incidents are viewed by referees, match delegates and the FA and need to be clarified.
There has been a growing trend of managers seeking private meetings with refs’ boss Mike Riley in recent seasons, with Pep Guardiola twice scheduling summits with the PGMOL leader.
One source said: “We all agree how difficult the job is for refs but this is the time to see if we can sort things out, for the good of everyone.”
The issue comes with video referees, which will be in operation in the German Bundesliga next term, set to be introduced for FA Cup ties in 2018, ahead of the likely roll-out into the Prem the following season.
That will allow refs to dismiss players for violent conduct offences that are spotted by the cameras, even if they have been “seen” - and missed - in real time.
Any change in regulations would have to be approved by the FA after being agreed by the Football Regulatory Authority, which includes representatives from the clubs, Premier League, Football league, PFA and the League Managers’ Association.
And until there is an agreed plan in place, the current system may continue.
One club insider conceded: “I think all the clubs are in favour of greater consistency. At times the decisions the FA make don’t seem to make any sense.
“But at the same time, we all know that the loopholes that currently exist mean one of our players might get away with one. There is self-interest at work.”
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