Eric Dier to miss most of Tottenham’s remaining games this season as FA confirm punishment for fan confrontation
Tottenham defender Eric Dier has been hit with a four-game ban for climbing into the stands to confront a supporter.
The England international has also been fined £40,000 by the Football Association over the incident, which happened after his side's FA Cup exit to Norwich on March 4.
Dier, whose team had just lost a penalty shootout, saw his brother was being abused by a fan and raced to his aid. There was no physical exchange and the matter was not pursued by the Metropolitan Police after a brief investigation.
However, the FA has opted to punish Dier for a breach of rule E3.
It said in a statement: "Eric Dier has been suspended for four matches with immediate effect, fined £40,000 and warned as to his future conduct following a breach of FA Rule E3.
"The Tottenham Hotspur FC player admitted that his actions at the conclusion of a fixture against Norwich City FC in The FA Cup on 04 March 2020 were improper but denied that they were also threatening.
"An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found Eric Dier's actions to be threatening."
The punishment, which rules Dier out for all but one of Spurs' remaining Premier League games this season, is sure to enrage boss Jose Mourinho, who has defended his player on the matter from the off.
He recently said that he did not expect Dier to receive any punishment after the FA chose not to sanction Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi for grabbing Brighton striker Neal Maupay around the neck.
Dier's absence will be a blow for Spurs in their pursuit of European football next season as he has been an impressive performer in central defence since the season restarted last month.