LONDON: Referee Mark Clattenburg has been cleared by the Football Association after a portentous complaint by Southampton that he insulted captain Adam Lallana during last month’s 2-1 defeat at Everton.

He is reported to have told Lallana: “You’re very different now you’ve played for England. You never used to be like this.”

The Premier League dismissed an initial complaint from the club last week.

The FA said in a statement it had given the matter its “full consideration” and “the comments, as disclosed in Southampton’s letter of complaint, do not constitute misconduct under the FA’s rules”.

It added: “Consequently, the FA will not be taking any further action in relation to this matter and now considers this case to be closed.”

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