Man United defender Patrice Evra has spoken of his fury at his four-match ban handed to him by the FA.
United defender has backing of boss and Gill over FA ban
Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has spoken of his fury at his four-match ban handed to him by the Football Association.
Evra was banned after an incident following the Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at the end of last season.
The French international was found guilty of improper conduct two weeks ago. The FA ruled that the 27-year-old attacked Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell after an angry exchange as the United players warmed down.
Despite the verdict Evra vehemently denies that he attacked the Chelsea employee but now insists that he is concentrating on United's games in the Fifa World Club Cup.
"I am very angry about it because I didn't touch anybody," the former Monaco defender told United's
official TV channel.
"Yet I have a four game ban. But now I am just focusing on the World Club Cup because I want to be a world champion."
Evra has received firm backing from his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson and club chief executive David Gill.
Gill, an FA board member, has also spoken of his disbelief at the ban but confirmed at the time that the club would not be appealing the decision.
"We looked at the situation carefully and discussed it with Alex (Ferguson) and Patrice himself," explained Gill.
"We were very disappointed by the size of the ban. We thought it was disproportionate and a poor decision.
"But we felt, given the games he would miss, the issues surrounding an appeal and the distraction it would cause at a key stage in the season, it would be better to take it on the chin and move on.
"Patrice is a wonderful character and I believe him 100% when he says he never hit the groundsman. He has out full support.
"We don't like the decision and we don't think it reflects other decisions for improper conduct charges being found. But we move on."
Evra will return on January 11th when United face, ironically, Chelsea at Old Trafford
The defender will miss games against Stoke City away and Middlesbrough at home in the Premier League as well as Southampton away in the FA Cup and the first leg of the Carling Cup against Derby County at Pride Park.
