Rooney will not be charged by the FA

MANCHESTER United striker Wayne Rooney will not be charged with an offence following his goal celebration at Anfield on Saturday, the Football Association have confirmed.

Rooney appeared to taunt Liverpool fans after hitting the first half match-winner by cupping his ears in a defiant gesture in front of the Kop.

A mobile phone was hurled at the England forward as he continued his celebrations and the FA are currently awaiting a report on that incident from the Merseyside Police. However, Rooney has also escaped any action from the police.

Inspector George Dawson, Force Incident Manager for the Merseyside Police, said: “At this stage it looks like Wayne Rooney had not committed any criminal offence. So I can confirm that he will not be investigated.” One spectator was arrested but it had not yet been confirmed that it was the same person who threw the mobile phone.

A police spokesman added: “We have recovered a mobile phone from the pitch. We are not sure whether it was thrown at anybody. We are making inquiries.”

Meanwhile Ryan Giggs is refusing to take any chances with the hamstring injury which has kept him out of Manchester United’s last three games.

The in-form Welsh winger was expected to return for the win over Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday but pulled out 24 hours beforehand when he felt a slight twinge after training. Although Giggs’ injury is not as serious as some pundits thought when he limped off against Tottenham on January 4, Alex Ferguson is unlikely to field him in the FA Cup replay at Exeter. Saturday’s Old Trafford clash with Aston Villa is a more likely target.