Everton have confirmed that Manchester United's Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gary Neville could face police action for allegedly gesticulating and verbally abusing supporters in the aftermath of their winning goal on Saturday.
Everton are to spend the next six days compiling a dossier of complaints from around 40 fans and stewards who stayed behind after the 4-3 defeat to the champions at Goodison Park, which they then intend to refer to Merseyside Police. By handing the list of complaints to the police they will ensure the matter will be taken up by the Football Association, although the local constabulary could choose to take their own action against the United players.
"Clearly a lot of people are upset by the alleged conduct of Manchester United players," said Inspector Tom King, the football liaison officer for Merseyside Police. "A number of those have already made themselves known to Everton, who are corresponding with them and asking for their views.
"If, having obtained the complaints from those people, Everton decide it's appropriate to refer the matter to us then we would take it further, but at the moment there is no police investigation. However, it might be that it's appropriate for the matter in its entirety to be dealt with by the Football Association, who have more than enough sanctions to deal with incidents of this nature."
Keane is alleged to have sworn and made gestures at Everton supporters seated in the main stand's family enclosure after Ruud van Nistelrooy's 89th-minute winner, although television footage appears to show the Irishman merely clenching his fist as he celebrates the goal. Similar accusations have been made against Neville and Ronaldo by supporters in the Paddock on the opposite side of the pitch.
The FA will only act once the Merseyside club has compiled its dossier, but they have already requested a video of the match and have written to Everton concerning an incident that saw Ronaldo pelted with a bottle late in the game.
Keane's relief at United's late winner was reflected in an angry warning to his team-mates that their hopes of retaining the Premiership will be wrecked if they do not tighten up defensively. The erosion of their half-time 3-0 advantage at Goodison Park followed a jittery display in the 3-2 victory over Southampton at Old Trafford a week earlier, with the loss of the banned Rio Ferdinand apparently keenly felt.
"It is a worry because we can't keep doing that for the rest of the season," said Keane. "We got away with it at Everton and against Southampton last week, but against tougher opposition in the Premiership and in Europe we certainly won't get away with it. We keep getting these lessons, but we can't keep giving teams the chances that we have been giving away in the last couple of matches."
United resume their Champions League campaign against Porto later this month, with the Portuguese likely to punish any defensive frailties. "People look at the defence, but it is a team game and we have got to look at each other," added the United captain. "I wouldn't be too critical of the defence alone. I think the whole team has been at fault."
