FA chiefs have serious misgivings over the behaviour of Manchester City's stars under the management of Pep Guardiola.

City were fined £50,000 on Thursday for failing to control their players during last month's FA Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic. The FA commission pointed the finger at Sergio Aguero and David Silva for surrounding referee Anthony Taylor after Fabian Delph was sent off.

It is the club's third offence in 16 months — they were twice fined £35,000 for incidents against Chelsea and Liverpool — and has sparked fears over City's behaviour with Guardiola at the helm.

Manchester City were fined £50,000 for failing to control players during Wigan defeat

The three-person commission, including former England captain Faye White, are 'extremely concerned' about the number of charges City have accumulated with the Catalan as boss.

They argued that the three incidents are at odds with the club's previous record over five seasons, during which they encountered no disciplinary problems as a team.

The FA commission claimed the scenes at the DW Stadium were 'aggravated by the players, notably Mr Aguero and Mr Silva touching or pulling the referee in an extremely insistent manner'.

The FA noted the potential for a points deduction but it is understood that only an exceptionally serious breach in the next 12 months would see that course of action discussed.

Fabian Delph received a first-half red card during City's FA Cup defeat to Wigan in February

Sergio Aguero, David Silva and other CIty players surrounded referee Anthony Taylor

The first ugly incident under Guardiola was after a home defeat by Chelsea in December 2016, also refereed by Taylor, when Fernandinho and Aguero were sent off following a melee in stoppage time.

City have become embroiled in at least three tunnel bust-ups since Guardiola's arrival — at Chelsea last season, at Manchester United last December and in that FA Cup tie at Wigan.

Guardiola's relationship with officials has clearly struck the governing body.

He has passionately spoken about a need to offer further protecting to players from dangerous tackles, with sporting director Txiki Begiristain and chief operating officer Omar Berrada recently holding talks with referees' chief Mike Riley.

Tensions boiled over between Pep Guardiola and Wigan boss Paul Cook at half-time

Guardiola got a £20,000 fine for wearing a yellow ribbon deemed to carry a 'political message'

Guardiola was hit with a £20,000 fine by the FA last week for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned politicians in Catalonia.

The Spaniard does not consider the ribbon to be a political message, but the FA Commission published its reasoning on Thursday and stated: 'By strict interpretation of the regulations, it clearly symbolises a political message.'

The FA described Guardiola's actions in continuing to wear the ribbon as 'an act of defiance against the backdrop of repeated warnings'.

It can also be revealed that City officials were issued a formal warning for failing to pass on FA letters concerning the matter to their manager earlier in the year.