Wolves boss Nuno charged by FA after Bristol City sending off

The head coach was sent to the stands shortly after Danny Batth had been red carded by referee Peter Bankes.

It was the second time in two months that Nuno had been sent off. He was given his marching orders during the 5-1 win over Bolton in November for a touchline spat with counterpart Phil Parkinson.

Nuno was fined £2,000 by the FA on that occasion but this time his punishment could be more severe, with a touchline ban among the possible options for the governing body.

The FA said today: "Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been charged with misconduct following his sending off during the game against Bristol City on 30 December 2017. He has until 6pm on 5 January 2018 to respond."

Nuno, who watched the rest of the game in the director's box, said after Wolves' 2-1 win that he wasn't abusive to the referee and was sent off for encroaching on the pitch.

"I'm sorry for my sending off," he said at the time. "I was sent off because he said 'you go inside of the pitch' – it's true I put one step, one foot inside the pitch and the rules said I should be sent off.

"But I was not rude, I didn't have abusive or bad words for the referee."