Moyes charged by FA for referee comments after Sunderland defeat

The under-pressure manager claimed his side were "playing against officials as well as the opposition" and said decisions given against his team were "laughable"

Manchester United manager David Moyes has been charged by the Football Association for comments made about the officials after Tuesday's Capital One Cup defeat to Sunderland.

Moyes criticised a number of decisions folowing the 2-1 defeat, his side's third on the bounce in all competitions, and claimed referees were acting against the champions.

"We're having to play them [the officials] as well as the opposition at the moment," the Scot said. "It's really terrible, it really is. We're actually beginning to laugh at them, that's the thing."

A statement from the FA read: "Manchester United manager David Moyes has been charged for misconduct by the FA in relation to post-match media comments he made following his side’s game against Sunderland on Tuesday 7 January 2014.

"It is alleged the comments called into question the integrity of the match officials appointed to that fixture and/or appointed to Manchester United fixtures generally, and/or implied that such match officials are motivated by bias; and/or brought the game into disrepute, in contravention of Rule E3(1).

"Moyes has until 18:00 on January 15, 2014 to respond to the charge."

Moyes is likely to face a similar fine which was given to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers on Thursday.

The 40-year-old was fined £8,000 by the FA for questionning the decision to appoint Bolton-born referee Lee Mason for his side's 2-1 defeat against Manchester City on Boxing Day.

"Hopefully we won't have a Greater Manchester referee with Liverpool-Manchester games in future," Rodgers said.