Man City, Chelsea fined combined $170,000 for melee

LONDON (AP) — Manchester City and Chelsea have been fined a combined 135,000 pounds ($170,000) by the English Football Association after their players were involved in a melee in the closing stages of a Premier League match.

The FA said Tuesday that both clubs accepted they failed to "ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behavior."

City was fined 35,000 pounds ($44,000) and Chelsea 100,000 pounds ($126,000).

The melee happened deep in injury time of Chelsea's 3-1 win at Etihad Stadium on Dec. 3. It was sparked by a studs-first lunge by City striker Sergio Aguero on David Luiz, which earned Aguero a red card. Both sets of players clashed and City midfielder Fernandinho was also sent off for grabbing Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas by the neck and pushing him over an advertising hoarding.

It was the fifth time in 19 months that Chelsea was charged by the FA for failing to control its players.