Chelsea star Diego Costa must be banned and charged by the FA for slapping Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny

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Diego Costa must be charged and banned by the Football Association for slapping Laurent Koscielny in the incident which preceded Costa's prolonged clash with Gabriel Paulista which resulted in the Arsenal player being sent off.

The dismissal was a silly one for Arsenal's Brazilian who was wound up by Chelsea's centre forward and Mike Dean had to show the red card when he saw Gabriel's petulant kick at Costa.

Dean will be disappointed that he missed the main incident between Costa and Koscielny - given the disciplinary action he took it is safe to assume that it occurred away from his view. 

Diego Costa must be charged and banned by the Football Association for slapping Laurent Koscielny

After watching Costa push his team-mate, Gabriel makes his way towards Costa to confront the striker

Costa vents his anger at defender Koscielny and prepares to confront the defender at the end the first half

After competing for the ball in the Arsenal box, Costa and Koscielny confront each other

Gabriel and Costa face-off as the defender takes exception to the striker's behaviour against his team-mate

Costa appeared to catch Koscielny in the face and not content with that he then clearly slapped the Arsenal man when confronted by him.

That caused Gabriel to get involved and Costa knocked him to the ground with an aggressive shove with his chest. 

Dean saw those incidents and duly cautioned both players who continued to bicker away at each other until Gabriel decided to kick out backwards. 

All a little childish and unnecessary and incidents which shouldn't happen on a football field but generally do - particularly around Diego Costa.

Former Atletico Madrid striker aggressively pushes the defender over and his opponent falls to the turf

The lengthy brawl at the end of the first half at Stamford Bridge begun after Costa had pushed Koscielny

After initially receiving a yellow card, the duo continue to bicker and the latter reacts by kicking out 

Arsenal were reduced to nine men when Dean correctly showed Santi Cazorla his second yellow card when he committed a clearly reckless tackle on Cesc Fabregas. 

Arsenal might also be charged by the FA as both Gabriel and Cazorla failed to leave the field immediately after being shown their red cards. 

Mike Dean prepares to brandish a red card to Gabriel after adjudging the defender to have kicked out at Costa

Arsenal defender Gabriel received his marching orders at the end of the first half following a clash with osta