Newcastle and Villa fined for Boxing Day melee

Aston Villa have been fined 30 000 pounds ($37 350) and Newcastle United 20 000 pounds on Friday for failing to control their players and staff members during an altercation in their Premier League match on Boxing Day.

Villa pushed for an equaliser in an increasingly physical game at Newcastle, but their task got harder when forward Jhon Duran was sent off in the 32nd minute for stamping on Fabian Schar and the match ended 3-0.

The furious Colombian kicked a water bottle before heading down the tunnel. Tensions flared after the first half ended which led to Newcastle assistant manager Jason Tindall and Villa analyst Victor Manas also being sent off.

"It was alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players and/or technical area occupants did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the tunnel area at halftime," the FA said in a statement.

An independent regulatory commission fined both clubs along with a warning and imposed a two-match ground ban along with a 4 000 pounds fine on Manas after both clubs and the analyst admitted to acting in an improper manner.

It was also alleged that Tindall acted in an improper manner during the same incident but the regulatory commission found the charge against him to be not proven, and he will face no further action.

Duran was also fined 15 000 pounds earlier in January after he admitted that he acted in an improper manner in the same game