Fab's dark side casts a shadow over his future

But Tuesday night's fracas is not the first time the midfielder has become embroiled in controversy since arriving in England as a 16 year-old in 2003.

The Spaniard was rumoured to have been the Arsenal player responsible for throwing food at Sir Alex Ferguson following the 'Pizzagate' scandal, after Manchester United ended the Gunners' 49-match unbeaten run at Old Trafford in 2004.

Fabregas's statement that "I have never spat at anyone in my whole career on the pitch" is also somewhat at odds with the video evidence that suggests he may have done just that towards Michael Ballack during a Champions League game at Highbury a year later.

But UEFA didn't charge him and Fabregas said today: "I have seen this video on the internet many times before and I remember the incident clearly. I shouted at him because I felt like I did not make a bad tackle. I did not spit at him."

In the 2007 Carling Cup Final, Kolo Toure and John Obi Mikel sparked a brawl that the Spaniard did not hesitate to get involved in, attempting to haul Frank Lampard to the floor before having to be restrained.

And just weeks earlier, he expressed his disbelief that Mark Hughes, then manager of Blackburn, had ever played for Barcelona and claimed when he did "it was not Barcelona football".

Fabregas, a lifelong Barca fan, later apologised, saying: "I went to the dressing room to make my apology to him. I am very young and still have a lot to learn."

It still appears that remains the case but there are mitigating circumstances for a player sent off just once in his professional career.

It could reasonably be argued that Fabregas should have been nowhere near the pitch at the final whistle but his desire to be so close to the action is indicative of the frustration he has endured in recent months.

During his four-month absence with knee ligament damage, Arsenal's season has threatened to implode and in his programme notes on Tuesday night he wrote: "Hopefully this will be the last game at Emirates Stadium that I miss this season and the last time I have to drive in through the security checkpoint before a game. I want to be coming in on the team bus with everyone else."

But frustration is not a watertight defence, given Arsenal had just beaten Hull thanks to a stirring comeback.

Yet spitting at the floor, while not acceptable, could merely be viewed as a Spanish peccadillo.

A club source told Standard Sport: "If it happened at all, I would view it as a continental expression that just shows his disappointment."

On the players' part, winger Theo Walcott is simply looking forward to his skipper returning to action. He said: "He is going to be a brilliant player for us when he comes back.

"I hope people won't expect wonders straight away, but he will get back to his best soon and I am looking forward to his comeback."

When he does, eyes will now be on his attitude as much as his play.