Eyal Berkovic has told his employers that his "cut-throat" gesture at a spectator during the Worthington Cup tie against Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night was a reaction to anti- Semitic abuse. The Israel international was summoned yesterday to explain the incident, which the FA may yet investigate, but insisted that he had been
fiercely provoked.
Berkovic, 30, would not comment on the incident last night, but had earlier
told the club and those close to him that he had been verbally abused by a
City supporter after making an unsuccessful penalty appeal at the Platt Lane
End of the Maine Road stadium. A female spectator was reported to have been
reduced to tears by his outburst, but no official complaint has been made to
the club or to Greater Manchester Police. Chris Bird, the club's chief
operating officer, said last night that an internal inquiry into the
incident was continuing.
"There are a series of investigations that we have to make and, until we
have spoken to all the relevant parties, the players and the fans and
stewards in that area of the ground, we will not decide what action, if any,
to take," he said. "We have not been made aware of any abuse of that type by
the people who were in that area."
Whether provoked or not, Berkovic's action is the latest in a series of
misdemeanours that have dogged City over the past two years. An alleged
drinking culture among the players was cited as a reason for the dismissal
of Joe Royle as manager last year while Richard Dunne, the defender, was
recently suspended for a "serious breach of discipline".