Mohammed Kudus may face further disciplinary action after being charged by the Football Association (FA) for violent conduct during West Ham’s 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The Ghanaian international was sent off in the second half after a series of altercations. Referee Andy Madley initially issued Kudus a yellow card for kicking out at Spurs defender Micky van de Ven before escalating the situation by pushing the Dutchman in the face.
Kudus then pushed Pape Matar Sarr, prompting VAR official Chris Kavanagh to advise Madley to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor.
Following the review, Madley upgraded the yellow card to a red for violent conduct. Such an offence typically results in a three-match ban, but the FA’s formal charge could lead to a longer suspension if further misconduct is found.
Clubs Charged for Player Conduct:
The FA announced on Tuesday that both West Ham and Tottenham have also been charged for failing to control their players during the incident.
Tottenham are accused of not ensuring their players avoided “improper and/or provocative behaviour,” while West Ham face similar accusations, including failing to prevent “improper and/or violent behaviour.” All parties have until Thursday to respond to the charges.
Lopetegui Calls for Composure:
Speaking after the game, West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui admitted that he had not yet reviewed the footage but backed the referee’s decision.
“I did not see the action back on TV but I think that if the referee reviewed it and decided that it was a red card, then I cannot have a doubt,” Lopetegui told the BBC.
“Maybe it is another point to improve—when we suffer in the bad moments, we keep calm and fight to the end as a team.”
Tough Fixtures Ahead for West Ham:
West Ham now sit 15th in the Premier League, having secured just two wins from their opening eight games.
The Hammers face a difficult run of fixtures, starting with Manchester United next weekend, followed by clashes with Nottingham Forest, Everton, Newcastle, and Arsenal before the end of the month.
How the team responds to these challenges—and the fallout from Kudus’ red card—will be crucial to their hopes of stabilising a faltering season.