• Premier League

No Owen punishment for Arteta clash

ESPN staff
February 4, 2013
Michael Owen clashed with Jack Wilshere soon after the incident with Mikel Arteta © PA Photos
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The Football Association will not take any further action against Michael Owen following his clash with Mikel Arteta on Saturday.

Owen appeared to hit Arteta on the back after a late tackle from the Arsenal man during Stoke's 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at Emirates Stadium.

The Potters striker was not booked by referee Chris Foy but it was widely believed he would face a retrospective ban from the FA.

However, with Foy seeing the incident at the time, English football's governing body was unable to take any action.

"If Michael has done what he has done and they look at it, then they will deal with it," Stoke manager Tony Pulis said after the game. "We'll see what they say. Obviously I am going to be biased as it is my football team."

Arteta revealed after the match that he and Owen had apologised to each other and that he was keen to forget about the incident.

"There was a bit of tension," Arteta told BBC Sport. "I said 'Michael, I'm sorry', he did the same thing and it finished there and there are no problems now."

The FA's decision follows that of last week which saw Stoke's Glenn Whelan escape a retrospective ban for a challenge on Javi Garcia.

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