Norwich City goalkeeper Angus Gunn has been charged with improper conduct by the FA ahead of Saturday’s trip to Sunderland. The Scotland international was involved in a controversial moment during Norwich’s 3-0 defeat to QPR earlier this month. Gunn believed he was unfairly obstructed by QPR winger Paul Smyth in the build-up to the hosts’ second goal, but referee Anthony Backhouse did not penalize the incident. After Kolli’s subsequent goal, Gunn’s protests were deemed excessive, and it is now suggested that his reaction may have crossed the line.
The FA issued a statement confirming the charge: “Angus Gunn has been charged with misconduct following the EFL Championship match between Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, December 7. The goalkeeper allegedly acted improperly in the tunnel area at half-time of this fixture. He has until Thursday, December 19, to respond.”
Gunn, a key figure for Norwich this season, has made 15 appearances for the club and earned 15 senior caps for Scotland since making his debut in March 2023. It remains uncertain whether he will contest the charge, but one player who will definitely miss the Sunderland match is midfielder Kenny McLean. McLean was handed a four-game suspension after an off-the-ball incident during the same loss to QPR.
In a bizarre twist, McLean was informed of his suspension just hours before Norwich’s 0-0 draw with Portsmouth on Tuesday. The late notice caught manager Johannes Hoff Thorup by surprise. “I’m very surprised,” Thorup said. “It opens the door to a completely different competition. I’m looking forward to Sunday, but the team we prepare for will likely be different with potential suspensions. The FA’s decision to announce suspensions on match days is something new to us. I can’t go into specifics, but it’s surprising that we had to adjust the line-up at 3 pm. It’s not something I’m used to, but we have to accept it. This is a surprise to everyone in professional football.”
