Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno could face disciplinary action from the English Football Association (FA) for pushing a ball boy in a match against Bournemouth. Leno had already been warned at the time that although he escaped a red card, there was still the possibility of further punishment. At the time of the incident, Leno got the ball on goal in the second half and pushed the caddie with his left hand. However, Leno later apologized to the youngsters during the pause of the match.
Fulham manager Marco Silva accused Bournemouth of delaying time tactics in the 3-0 defeat. Silva downplayed the incident, claiming that Leno only touched the caddie and did not push him. Silva confirmed that he has spoken to Leno to clarify things and stressed that Leno is a top professional and experienced player. Bournemouth coach Anthony Iraola denied instructing caddies to delay the restart of play and insisted they were not to blame.
After the incident, referee Tim Robinson instructed the caddie to get off the field, resulting in the cancellation of the multi-ball system. The Premier League confirmed that the multi-ball system had been revoked in the 79th minute. Silva supported the referee's decision, saying the caddie did cause a delay that caused problems and that the multi-ball system had to be stopped. Silva was frustrated with the team's performance but had no energy to complain about the situation. The FA will now review the incident involving Leno and decide whether further penalties are needed. Leno's actions may result in suspension or fines.