Six Arsenal players, two United charged

The Football Association has charged six Arsenal and two Manchester United players following the fracas during and after their ill-tempered 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Arsenal and six of their players, as well as two Manchester United players, were charged on Wednesday by the Football Association following the ill-tempered goalless draw at Old Trafford.

Arsenal are accused of failing to control their players, while Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Lauren, Ray Parlour and Jens Lehmann all face individual charges that could lead to suspensions.

Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo have also been charged by the FA, who reviewed video evidence of last Sunday’s game following the ugly scenes which followed both Vieira’s red card and Ruud van Nistelrooy’s penalty miss.

Phil Neville has, meanwhile, been warned as to his future conduct after a confrontation with Lauren, but his brother Gary and Manchester United as a club are not being charged by the FA.

Arsenal, however, could now face a suspension crisis, with Lauren facing four separate counts, including two of violent behaviour, the same serious charge which is faced by Keown and Parlour.

The full charge sheet is:

:: Arsenal – charged with “failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players”.

:: Lauren – two counts of improper conduct for “confronting Ruud van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira’s sending-off, and for confronting Ryan Giggs after the final whistle” and two counts of violent behaviour for “kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award and for forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle”.

:: Keown – one charge of improper conduct for “confronting van Nistelrooy following the penalty miss” and one charge of violent behaviour “for striking van Nistelrooy on the back of the head following the final whistle”.

:: Parlour – one charge of improper conduct for “confronting van Nistelrooy after the final whistle” and a further charge of violent behaviour for “grabbing at Gary Neville from behind shortly afterwards”.

:: Cole – one charge of improper conduct for “his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle”.

:: Lehmann – one charge of improper conduct for “confronting referee Steve Bennett after Patrick Vieira’s second yellow card and for then persistently seeking to confront van Nistelrooy”.

:: Vieira – one charge of improper conduct for “failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off, and for instead seeking to confront van Nistelrooy and engaging in a verbal exchange with fourth official Neale Barry”.

:: Giggs – one charge of improper conduct for “his involvement in a confrontation with Lauren after the match had ended”.

:: Ronaldo – one charge of improper conduct for “confronting Martin Keown at the conclusion of the match”.