Diego Costa will contest his violent conduct charge with the full backing of Chelsea as the Barclays Premier League leaders make a stand against what Jose Mourinho believes is an orchestrated campaign against his team.
Costa faces a three-match ban after referee Michael Oliver admitted he had not seen the incident when he appeared to stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can during Tuesday's Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge and set the Football Association's disciplinary process in motion.
Chelsea's 17-goal top scorer had to respond before 6pm on Thursday to the charge and, as he has chosen to contest it, the case will be passed to an independent commission to decide on Friday.
The Blues insist that the incident was 'accidental' with Mourinho fiercely defending his star striker after the match.
The commission will look at video footage, the observations of the referee Oliver and consider written and video evidence on behalf of Costa, who will miss games against Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton if found guilty.
It will be a surprise if he escapes punishment, but Costa, Mourinho and others at the club have been incensed by the charge and are determined to fight it.
Mourinho is in full siege mode ahead of the title clash with champions City at Stamford Bridge, on Saturday, claiming there is an anti-Chelsea agenda fuelled by Sky.
Chelsea have also cancelled the manager's usual eve-of-game press conference, which will prompt another letter from the Premier League to seek an explanation for breaking their rules on mandatory media duties.
From Chelsea's angle, this is a show of solidarity on a point of principle.
They may not win any friends and may not convince the disciplinary commission that is was an accidental stamp - but the club is standing firm in support of Costa because they feel the aggressive elements of his game have been unfairly high-lighted and scrutinised through the season.
These erupted during the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool, a game broadcast live on Sky Sports, with Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp on duty in the analysis team.
Chelsea were not impressed to see 'Costa's Crimes' listed on Sky Sports, referring to flashpoints from the game.
Mourinho seems convinced Redknapp, a former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, has it in for Chelsea, and that Sky, who also happen to pump millions into the sport, pushed the FA towards the charge by looping repeats of Costa's challenge on Can, and other clashes with Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard.
There are parallels to a storm which erupted in October 2005, after a tackle by Michael Essien on Didi Hamann during a Champions League game at the Bridge, which was not punished by the referee but later the subject of a two-match ban from UEFA.
Hamann claimed it was the worst tackle he'd suffered in his career, but Mourinho blamed Sky for UEFA's intervention because they replayed the footage so much and refused to do interviews with them for a while. Chelsea were without Essien for both legs of their tie against Barcelona and were beaten on aggregate.
It is not the first time Mourinho has mentioned the 'campaign'. He was fined £25,000 for public comments after a game at Southampton claiming officials were being influenced by it. He was also warned about comments made regarding the need for a 'strong referee' before a game at Stoke.
During last season, his first back in England, he was in trouble with the FA. He was fined £8,000 for going on the pitch during a stormy defeat at Aston Villa, when Ramires and Willian were sent off and was fined £10,000 for sarcastic remarks about referees' boss Mike Riley after a defeat at home to Sunderland during which his assistant Rui Faria was sent off and banned for six games.
Mourinho was also fined £8,000 after he was ordered from the touchline during a home win against Cardiff for an outburst about time-wasting by the visitors.
From Chelsea's angle, this is a show of solidarity on a point of principle.
They may not win any friends and may not convince the disciplinary commission that is was an accidental stamp - but the club is standing firm in support of Costa because they feel the aggressive elements of his game have been unfairly high-lighted and scrutinised through the season.
These erupted during the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool, a game broadcast live on Sky Sports, with Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp on duty in the analysis team.
Chelsea were not impressed to see 'Costa's Crimes' listed on Sky Sports, referring to flashpoints from the game.
Mourinho seems convinced Redknapp, a former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, has it in for Chelsea, and that Sky, who also happen to pump millions into the sport, pushed the FA towards the charge by looping repeats of Costa's challenge on Can, and other clashes with Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard.
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