Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association following the match against Hull City on Tuesday. The charge relates to kicking a water bottle as he was sent to the stands in the 35th minute of the Premier League match, which finished 1-1. Bruce has been contacted by the FA over a touchline row with Poyet and formally reminded of his responsibilities. Poyet has until 18:00 GMT on Monday to respond to the charge. The incident at the KC Stadium occurred with Sunderland trailing 1-0. Poyet was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean for reacting badly to a yellow card for midfielder Jack Rodwell, who was booked for diving. The Sunderland manager kicked over a water bottle carrier in the dugout and then confronted Bruce, who had to be restrained by an assistant referee and his own coaching staff. Bruce described it as “grown men acting like children”, blaming the incident on the “heat of the moment”. Poyet refused to talk about the incident after the game, telling reporters: “What happens on the pitch stays there.”

Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse has accepted a Football Association charge of spitting at Manchester United defender Jonny Evans. The striker, 29, faces a possible seven-game ban for his part in the incident, which happened during Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Newcastle on Wednesday. Evans, 27, has yet to respond to the FA after being charged on Thursday. However, he has denied deliberately spitting at Cisse. Senegal international Cisse had earlier issued a statement apologising for his actions.After the striker accepted the charge, Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley said: “Both ourselves and Papiss agree that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable. “When you do something wrong you have to front up, admit your mistakes and accept the punishment. “Papiss was proactive this morning in making a full and heartfelt apology, which he did in advance of any notification from the FA regarding this charge. “This was something he felt strongly about and we fully support him in quickly accepting the charge.” The FA charge read that “in or around the 38th minute of the game the two players spat at each other” and Cisse could receive a ban of up to six matches for the offence after admitting his part in the incident. He would also have to miss an additional game, having already received a ban this season. Charnley said Cisse recognised his importance as a role model to young fans and was eager to atone: “He is keen to carry out extra community activities on behalf of the club during his ban.” Evans has until 18:00 GMT on Friday to respond to the FA charge.

Five Kano Pillars players have been shot by gunmen in an attack on the club’s entourage as they travelled to Owerri for the start of the new Nigerian Premier League season.

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Ivory Coast goalkeeper and African Cup of Nations star Boubacar Barry announced Tuesday he is retiring from international football. The 35-year-old issued a statement and posted a video on his Facebook site where he explains his decision.

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Japan have appointed former Algeria manager Vahid Halilhodzic as their new boss. Previous coach Javier Aguirre was fired after Japan flopped at the Asian Cup in January and he was beset by allegations of match-fixing dating back to a previous tenure in Spain. Bosnian Halilhodzic has also managed Paris Saint Germain, Dinamo Zagreb and Ivory Coast in a nomadic career.

Jonas Gutierrez has described his first-team return for Newcastle United after being given the all-clear from cancer as like “a new debut”. Argentina international Gutierrez made his first Magpies appearance since April 2014 as a substitute against Manchester United on Wednesday. The midfielder, 31, had surgery in September for testicular cancer. “My first Newcastle game was against Man United and it was like a new debut for me,” Gutierrez told BBC Newcastle. “I’m really pleased to be back. I want to work hard, look for my moment, do it right and improve. “From now until the end of the season I want to play as many minutes as I can.” Wednesday’s outing takes Gutierrez, who had been playing for the reserves to regain fitness, to 196 Magpies appearance in seven years at the club. Newcastle head coach John Carver had named the former Atletico Madrid winger on the bench for last weekend’s win against Aston Villa, prompting a warm reception from the 51,573 crowd. However, that experience was nothing compared with actually returning to match action, particularly as it looked as though his Newcastle career was over before the cancer diagnosis last year. “It was really emotional and really exciting,” added Gutierrez. “I was so emotional when I put my feet on the pitch. I’ve travelled a long way to get to this point and I really enjoyed it. “I thank the fans for their support and also my team-mates. It was a great moment for me.”

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet is charged by the Football Association after being sent-off during his side’s 1-1 draw at Premier League rivals Hull City. The Uruguayan angrily kicked over a water bottle before having a touchline scuffle with Hull City counterpart Steve Bruce. Bruce has also been “formally reminded of his responsibilities” by the FA. It is alleged Poyet’s behaviour amounted to improper conduct and he has until 18:00 GMT on 9 March to respond to the charge.

Former international midfielder Aliou Cisse has been appointed Senegal coach, the country’s football federation has revealed in a statement. The 38-year-old, who won 35 caps for Senegal, has signed a four-year contract, to be reviewed after the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. He takes over from Alan Giresse, who left after the recent Nations Cup. Cisse has had spells as Senegal assistant coach and also as part of the coaching team for the 2012 Olympics. He also brings experience of playing at the highest level with Senegal, having captained them at the 2002 World Cup where the team reached the quarter-finals. Cisse began his football career at French side Lille and played for Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier before his performance at the 2002 World Cup in the Japan and South Korea led to a move to England. He played for English clubs Birmingham City and Portsmouth between 2002 and 2006.

It was a fun filled football match on Wednesday evening at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta when a team led by former president Olusegun Obasanjo of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library slugged it out with a team of Ogun State Government led by the governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Punch reports.

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Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse could face six-match bans if found guilty of spitting. The pair appeared to spit at each other during Wednesday’s Premier League game at St James’ Park. Referee Anthony Taylor spoke to Evans and Cisse after the first-half incident, but neither was booked. The Football Association says it is waiting for Taylor’s report before deciding whether any action is needed. Last season, George Boyd was given a three-match ban for spitting at Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart. But from this season, FA disciplinary guidelines dictate that the penalty for such an offence is double that. Television replays appeared to show Evans spitting towards Cisse, who was on the ground. The Senegal forward then appeared to spit in the direction of Evans.

Winston Reid has ended speculation over his future by signing a new long-term contract with West Ham, Sky reports. Central defender Reid was due to be out of contract in the summer and the 26-year-old had been linked with both Arsenal and Tottenham after West Ham boss Sam Allardyce said in January that he expected him to leave the club.

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The Major League Soccer season will kick off as scheduled on Friday after a new collective bargaining contract was agreed, avoiding the threat of a players’ strike. The new five-year deal was reached after four days of negotiations. The agreement is a contract to promote the mutual interests of MLS, the players and their union. “I am pleased to announce we have reached an agreement in principle,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. There was a similar dispute in 2010, although that was resolved with five days to go. The first game of the 2015 season is between champions Los Angeles Galaxy, captained by Robbie Keane, and Chicago Fire. Chicago had flown out to LA despite the dispute. As part of the new deal, a form of free agency will be introduced, although it is limited to players 28 years and older with at least eight years in the league. The deal also includes a rise in the minimum wage in the league and the overall team salary cap, although full details are yet to be announced.

Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis says he is “fine” after fainting during his side’s 3-2 league defeat at Tottenham. Gomis, who collapsed three times in 2009, appeared to fall down immediately after Spurs took a sixth-minute lead. The Frenchman, 29, received treatment before leaving the pitch on a stretcher and was later taken to hospital. Gomis later said:  “I have been under a great deal of stress and fatigue due to my father’s health that requires me to go back and forth to France.” He added: “I wanted to reassure you concerning my health. It actually looks much more scary than physically dangerous. I am feeling well now.” Gomis, who joined Swansea from Lyon last summer, had a series of medical tests in 2009 after three episodes of fainting while a Lyon player. They indicated no serious threat to his health. Swansea manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio 5 live: “We understand his history. He has had all the tests but it’s just part of his life, it’s what he’s been through growing up.” A Swansea spokesman said they were aware of the vasovagal condition (a form of low blood pressure) and “had all the medical and cardiology tests with us.” Players from both sides looked concerned as Gomis was treated but he left the pitch conscious and speaking. Later on Wednesday, Gomis said on social media: “I was disappointed that I couldn’t help my team tonight but now everything is back in order.” Tottenham’s ground was the venue where Fabrice Muamba, now 26, suffered a cardiac arrest playing for Bolton against Spurs in an FA Cup quarter-final in 2012. Muamba recovered but never played again.