Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was charged with misconduct by the Football Association (FA) today.
France midfielder Vieira was accused of a breach of rule E2, which covers players making abusive and or insulting remarks to match officials, the FA announced on its website (www.thefa.com).
The charge arises from Sunday's 1-1 draw between double-holders Arsenal and London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge where Vieira was sent-off by referee Andy D'Urso for two bookable offences.
If found guilty of misconduct, Vieira could see his current one-match ban increased or he could be slapped with a hefty fine.
Vieira, who earlier this week failed to get his dismissal reviewed by the referee, now has 14 days to respond to the charge.
The FA have yet to say if they will be taking any action regarding a beer bottle thrown from the crowd shortly after Vieira's red card.
Earlier today, Vieira vowed not to change his aggressive style of play, despite his failure to overturn the eighth red card he has received since he came to England.
"I'm disappointed but it won't change me," Vieira told the London Evening Standard, a day after Arsenal's appeal against the red card was rejected.
There was also bad news for Vieira on the financial front with Arsenal's chairman warning that the club could not afford to break the bank in order to keep him at Highbury when his contract expires at the end of next season.
"We could not give him a massive pay rise, however much we wanted to keep him," Peter Hill-Wood told the Daily Express.
"We shall attempt to satisfy his wage demands, but we are not in a position to make a meaningful increase. We have no plans to increase anyone's salary."
Vieira, who was made Arsenal captain this summer after Tony Adams decided to retire at the end of last season, has dismissed speculation that he plans to leave north London despite his problems with English referees and the interest shown by the likes of Real Madrid.
"I want to be part of the history of this club," he said last month, when he also revealed that he had begun negotiations with Arsenal on a new contract which would keep him at the club beyond 2004.
PA