FA facing United storm over Chelsea pitch row

The report, which gives a full account of the evidence heard by the FA panel before handing out a four-match ban to United's Patrice Evra, is damning of United's version of events, describing them as "exaggerated" and "inconsistent".

The severity of Evra's ban, given for his part in a post-match brawl with a Chelsea groundsman in April, has already angered Ferguson but the FA's decision to make the full report public, as a move towards greater transparency, will upset the club even more.

Ferguson has already clashed with Soho Square officials this season after being handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £10,000 after admitting a charge of improper conduct.

The 66-year-old came on to the pitch to remonstrate with referee Mike Dean after the win over Hull in November and later claimed the FA were "dying" to find him guilty.

David Gill, United's chief executive, is expected to take up the Stamford Bridge affair with FA chairman, Lord Triesman, who has travelled to Tokyo where the champions play Gamba Osaka today in the Club World Cup.

In the FA report released last night, United assistant manager Mike Phelan has been branded as unimpressive and unreliable.

Part of United's claim was that during the brawl, which the FA panel concluded Evra was responsible for starting, Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell used racist language towards the Red Devils defender, something he strenuously denies and was rejected by panel chairman Nicholas Stewart QC.

In his case notes, Stewart outlined major inconsistencies in the two written accounts submitted by Phelan prior to verbally giving evidence.

"Even before the hearing we did not feel able to place strong reliance on this evidence. Mike Phelan did not impress us," read the findings.

The report claimed that if Phelan and then goalkeeping coach Richard Hartis had heard the comments Bethell was alleged to have made, it was implausible no-one else, specifically two black members of the Chelsea ground-staff close to the scene, would not have heard them and reported them.

"Aspects of this evidence raise questions about the reliability of their claims," the report states.

It is a damning verdict, only increased by the assessment of Evra's conduct, which is said to be "unnecessary and gratuitously aggressive".
Evra claimed he was worried for United coach Tony Strudwick's safety and barged into Chelsea head groundsman Jason Griffin, who was carrying a pitchfork at the time.

The panel felt Evra's contention was "ridiculous" and the physical intervention that followed "could not be justified". It was that first attack which started the fracas and led to Evra being given a hefty ban.

Evra last night denied any wrong doing and insisted he had not struck Bethell.

"I am very angry about it because I didn't touch anybody," said Evra. "Yet I have a four-game ban."

Evra is part of Ferguson's squad in Japan. However, having served a one-match ban against Tottenham last Saturday after reaching five bookings for the campaign, he will not now be available until 11 January when, ironically, Chelsea visit Old Trafford.