
Jose
Mourinho is likely to be on the touchline at Stamford Bridge on Saturday,
Sky sources understand.
The Chelsea manager was charged on Monday by the Football Association "in
relation to his language and/or behaviour towards the match officials in or
around the dressing room area at half-time" during his side's 2-1 defeat to
West Ham on Saturday.
Mourinho has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the charge, which only
gives the FA a day to convene the independent panel and discuss the case
before Chelsea take on Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime.
Sky sources understand the case will almost certainly be heard next
week, leaving Mourinho free to take his place in the dug-out for the match
and Jurgen Klopp's team.
Mourinho watched the second-half of the match at the Boleyn Ground from the
directors' box following a half-time incident with referee Jonathan Moss,
who had shown a red card to Nemanja Matic and also sent Chelsea coach
Silvino Louro to the stands for his reaction to the decision.
The independent panel can take previous game-time charges into account.
Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013 and has since been set to the stands
twice, firstly against Cardiff City in October 2013 and again against Aston
Villa in March 2014.
However, the panel cannot take into consideration previous post-match
charges, such as criticising officials to the media, as these are separate
offences.
Earlier this month, Mourinho was fined £50,000 and given a one-match
suspended stadium ban by the FA for criticising referees in the media
following Chelsea's 3-1 home defeat to Southampton.
He is currently contesting that verdict having labelled the fine a
"disgrace". The panel cannot invoke Mourinho's suspended stadium ban on this
occasion.
Mourinho could, however, receive a five-match stadium ban because of
previous cases handled by the panel.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies was handed a five-match
touchline ban by the FA in March 2014 after being charged for the same
offence as Mourinho.
There is no minimum or maximum penalty he can be given and the panel will
discuss Moss' findings and response before making a final decision on any
punishment.