This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

Roberto Mancini will not face any action from the Football Association over his comment following Manchester City's Boxing Day defeat at Sunderland that the referee Kevin Friend "ate too much".

If found guilty of misconduct the manager may have faced a fine or a touchline ban.

The Italian wrote to the FA to explain his words last week, with the governing body responding on Monday to remind Mancini of his responsibilities. The matter is now closed.

City lost 1-0 to Sunderland, with Mancini believing his team should have been awarded a free-kick during the build-up to Adam Johnson's winner.

The manager said later: "The referee may have had too much to eat for Christmas. He and the linesman too. It wasn't a great game from them. That's the problem we have sometimes in football. I don't see how the referee can't see the foul in the buildup. I don't know how."