Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp has been charged by the Football Association (FA) with improper conduct over comments he made following the club’s FA Cup win over Wrexham.

Sharp, who scored his side’s second goal in a late 3-1 fourth-round win earlier this month, accused referee Leigh Doughty of “helping (Wrexham) all night”.

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The FA said his post-match comments in a television interview “imply bias and/or attack the integrity of the referee”.

The 37-year-old has until Tuesday, February 21 to respond.

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Sharp had taken aim at the National League side for their perceived behaviour in the lead-up to the match, saying: “I wasn’t happy with some of their players tonight. We’ve got one over on them. Good luck to them on promotion and hopefully we’ve put that to bed tonight because a few of their players I wasn’t happy with.

“I wasn’t happy with the way they’ve been as a club before the game, eyeing up Spurs – they’ve not even beaten us. I think they thought we were just going to roll over when they got back in it.”

But Sharp also criticised the performance of match official Doughty, adding: “I think the referee was helping them all night as well. I don’t think he gave me one foul all night tonight. But it’s one of those things. I probably lost my head a little bit but I’ve got a smile on my face because we’re through to the next round and the boys deserve it.”

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson responded: “I was a bit disappointed with Billy, to be honest, shouting down the tunnel. I think he was disrespectful. The message to Billy is: ‘You’re better than that. Our players are humble people.’”

Sheffield United host Tottenham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on March 1 but Sharp is currently sidelined with an ankle injury.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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