• Hit with £40,000 and £20,000 sanctions respectively
• Hull settle legal dispute with former chairman Duffen

Hull have been fined £40,000 and Arsenal £20,000 for failing to control their players during their league match on 19 December. The bad-tempered encounter, which Arsenal won 3-0, erupted shortly before half-time when Samir Nasri appeared to tread on the ankle of Hull’s Richard Garcia.

Stephen Hunt then clashed with Nasri and a mass confrontation took place in front of referee Steve Bennett, with Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia sprinting 100 yards to get involved.

Players from both sides became embroiled in ugly scenes with Bennett eventually booking Hunt and Nasri.

“At a regulatory commission hearing this week, Arsenal and Hull City were fined for failing to control their players during a match at the Emirates Stadium in December,” read a statement from the Football Association. “The clubs were charged in relation to a mass confrontation between players from both sides during the fixture on 19 December. Hull admitted the charge. Arsenal denied the charge but the commission found it proved.

“Both clubs have also been warned as to their future conduct.”

Meanwhile, Hull have settled their legal dispute with former chairman Paul Duffen out of court. The club began proceedings against Duffen last month after accusing him of spending company money for private use during his time in charge.

Hull also alleged Duffen’s company received payments from agents in return for allowing those same agents to negotiate transfers on the club’s behalf.

A statement read: “Further to a statement made on 22 January 2010 regarding legal action commenced by Hull City against its former chief executive officer, we are pleased to confirm that we have agreed settlement on terms satisfactory to the club.

“This agreement brings to an end all disputes between the parties.”

Duffen resigned from his position as executive chairman last October, soon after the publication of an alarming set of financial results. He was succeeded by his predecessor Adam Pearson.

Hull CityArsenalguardian.co.uk

• Players clashed during Saturday’s match at the Emirates
• Both clubs have until 13 January to respond

Arsenal and Hull City are braced for a heavy fine from the Football Association after being charged with a failure to control their players during Saturday’s fractious encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

Tempers boiled over as half-time approached when Samir Nasri appeared to step deliberately on Richard Garcia’s ankle, prompting a furious reaction from Stephen Hunt, Craig Fagan and Nick Barmby. A 20-man brawl ensued, with Barmby raising his hands to Nasri and Arsenal midfielder Alex Song pushing Hunt away by the throat while the referee, Steve Bennett, and his assistant attempted to restore order.

Bennett subsequently booked Hunt and Nasri but, having admitted he had not witnessed the incident that provoked the mêlée, was asked to review footage by the FA as part of its fast-track disciplinary process. The clubs feared violent conduct charges might be imposed, upon Nasri and Barmby in particular, though the referee reported back on Tuesday that, in his opinion, none of the misdemeanors were worthy of a red card.

The teams’s conduct, however, fell outside that fast-track system with the FA spending a further 24 hours scrutinising the evidence before confirming charges against both clubs. Arsenal, who went on to win the match 3-0, and Hull now have until 13 January to respond.

Arsène Wenger would have been relieved to have seen Nasri avoid suspension with critical games ahead, and his forward ranks already depleted through injury. The Arsenal manager was insistent today that the last four years have been his “best” at the club despite a failure to glean silverware in that time. The Frenchman has won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups in his 13 years in north London, yet rates his ability to retain his team’s position near the top in an ever changing landscape as his greatest achievement.

“I think moving into a new stadium and keeping the team at the top in the last four years is, for me, my best period,” said Wenger. “Unfortunately it is as well the period when we have not won trophies. But people forget that we have been reasonably consistent. It has been the most difficult period but as well for me the period where I worked the best.

“To move into a new stadium and yet still make some money in every single year without the team dropping the level, then maintaining a successful period in the Champions League, and doing reasonably well in the league has been quite difficult.”

ArsenalHull CityPremier LeagueThe FADominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk