FA look at Van Nistelrooy foul
The Football Association will study video evidence of Ruud van Nistelrooy's challenge on Arsenal full-back Ashley Cole at Old Trafford on Sunday before deciding whether to charge the Manchester United striker.
Van Nistelrooy: Fouled Ashley Cole. (MichaelSteele/GettyImages)
Van Nistelrooy could be hit by a three-match ban if the FA opt to charge him over the tackle, missed by referee Mike Riley, whose performance was slated by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
Soho Square officials are in for a busy time dealing with the aftermath of yesterday's crunch encounter, which United won 2-0 to end Arsenal's magnificent 49-game unbeaten record in the league.
They will also investigate Wenger's post-game criticism of Riley and van Nistelrooy was a 'cheat'.
In addition, they will also seek to find out how Sir Alex Ferguson ended up having soup thrown at him in the tunnel after the match.
Ferguson was confronted in the players' tunnel immediately after the game and was forced to change out of his suit and into a tracksuit to conduct his post-game TV interviews.
Privately, United are still considering whether to take the matter further, although without further co-operation the FA would have an extremely difficult task trying to level a charge.
Any intent behind Van Nistelrooy's lunge should be easier to determine. Sir Alex Ferguson felt the incident was innocuous, a view not shared by Wenger, whose own comments look set to land him in hot water.
'We know how Ruud van Nistelrooy behaves,' said the Frenchman. 'He can only cheat people - we know him very well.'
The tackle was labelled 'a disgrace' by BBC TV pundit Alan Hansen and the fact Van Nistelrooy stroked home the 72nd-minute penalty that put United on the way to victory only compounded Wenger's frustration.
fair enough by the fa, that tacle was a deliberate attempt by Van Nistelrroy to hurt cole, 2 or 3 matches would be a fair ban.