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Chelsea face the ­devastating prospect of being docked Premier League points in the ­aftermath of last weekend’s Battle of the Etihad.

The Stamford Bridge club - and title rivals Manchester City – were both charged by the FA with failing to control their players after the showpiece top-of-the-table clash erupted in a mass brawl following Sergio Aguero’s X-rated challenge on Blues’ defender David Luiz.

Aguero and City midfielder Fernandinho were sent off after a bust-up involving all 22 players, several substitutes and even members of both clubs’ coaching staff.

But this is the FIFTH time in 19 months that Chelsea have been hauled in front of disciplinary chiefs for breaching FA Rule E20 covering the behaviour of players.

The Londoners were found guilty and hit with fines on the four previous occasions.

And Sunday Mirror Sport can reveal they now face a very real danger of becoming the first top-flight club since Arsenal and Manchester United 26 years ago to have points deducted for poor player discipline.

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A warning about the future conduct of their players was put in writing to Chelsea when they appealed against a fine imposed for their part in last season’s ­ill-tempered London derby with Tottenham.

Chelsea were fined £375,000 and their record for persistent breaches of Rule E20 was branded “abysmal.”

The independent commission also made it clear that a points deduction had been considered. Spurs only had to pay £225,000 - despite having a Premier League-record nine players booked during the game.

Both clubs appealed the sanction – and Chelsea’s punishment was reduced to £290,000 by a three-man board headed by Christopher Quinlan QC. Tottenham’s fine was reduced to £175,000.

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But the damning conclusion of the board was that Chelsea could be be docked points if their players continued to misbehave en-masse.

It read: “The Board is satisfied the greater fine on Chelsea fairly reflects its role in the incident and its ­lamentable recent record for failing properly to control its players. The time cannot be too far distant when a Commission concludes the only proper sanction is a points deduction.”

No top-flight club has been docked points for disciplinary problems since Manchester United and Arsenal were both controversially punished for a mass brawl when they met at Old Trafford in October 1990.

Arsenal, who won the game 1-0, had two points deducted because they had been involved in a similar fracas at Norwich the previous year, while United were docked one point.

The Gunners went on to win the old first division title.

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Chelsea, who are top of the Premier League after winning their last eight games, have fallen foul of Rule E20 on no fewer than five previous occasions since October 2011 – and have paid four fines totalling £475,000 since February 2015.

At the start of the season, the FA, the Premier League and the EFL joined forces to announce measures to clamp down on “intolerable behaviour” by players after claiming that poor conduct had reached “unacceptable levels.”

It is understood that Chelsea are aware of the threat of a points deduction and have asked the FA for a personal hearing.

However, sources at Wembley refused to confirm that they received such a request from Stamford Bridge when the ­deadline passed at 6pm on Thursday.