ARSENAL have been fined £60,000 after their players surrounded the referee during the Gunners’ Emirates FA Cup win at Oxford United.

In the 34th minute, while the game was still goalless, Albert Sambi Lokonga had a shot blocked by Elliott Moore inside the penalty area.

Gunners players surrounded referee David Coote, appealing for a handball against Moore, however Coote gave a corner to the away side.

An FA statement read: “An independent appeal board has imposed a £60,000 fine on Arsenal after its players surrounded a match official during the FA Cup tie against Oxford United on Monday, January 9.

“The FA alleged that Arsenal had failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 34th minute, and the club denied the allegation and requested a hearing.

“An independent regulatory commission subsequently upheld the allegation and imposed a £40,000 fine, but both the FA and Arsenal submitted appeals.

“The independent appeal board upheld the FA’s appeal and imposed a new penalty of £60,000 on grounds that the original fine was unduly lenient. £20,000 of this has been suspended until the end of the 2022/23 season provided that there is no further breach of FA Rule E20.1 by the club.”