'Touchy' - Everton’s Sean Dyche reacts to Leeds United FA charge and quadruple booking incident

Both clubs have until Monday, February 27 to respond to the charges which accuse the two sides of failing ‘to ensure that their players did not behave in a way which is improper and/or provocative’.

Speaking ahead of Everton’s home fixture against Aston Villa this weekend, Dyche was asked about the FA’s decision to bring the charge.

“Things get blown up nowadays but no-one got sent off and there wasn’t anything too malicious. One of them things, a touchy moment in the game when people get involved,” he said, brushing off the incident as something which is part-and-parcel of Premier League football.

A Tyler Adams and Dwight McNeil altercation initially sparked the melee, in which Abdoulaye Doucoure and Weston McKennie were subsequently involved. All four players were booked by referee Andrew Madley for their part in the scuffle at Goodison Park shortly before the half-time whistle last Saturday.

“You can’t ask for passion then not accept it when it comes,” Dyche added. “Passionate cannot be lovely, sometimes it is aggressive and that moment that sets something off. There wasn’t anything too nasty or over the top.”