Battle of the Bridge duo charged
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Manchester United defender Patrice Evra and Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell have been charged by the Football Association.
The move comes following an exhaustive inquiry into events which occurred at Stamford Bridge immediately after United's defeat to Chelsea on April 26, the hosts winning thanks to a disputed Michael Ballack penalty.
Evra and Bethell were involved in a heated exchange during the visitors' warm-down.
The FA have taken witness statements during their investigations and while Evra and Bethell have both been charged with improper conduct, the Chelsea man has also been accused of using 'abusive language aggravated by reference to nationality/race'.
As a player, the punishments for Evra, if found guilty, range from a fine to a ban.
No date for the hearing has been set and with both clubs on pre-season trips, it may be a while before it is arranged.
"The charges are the result of a thorough investigation conducted by the FA over the last three months," read an FA statement.
"In bringing the charges, the FA used video evidence, CCTV footage and various witness statements from individuals present."
The FA also probed a post-match incident involving Rio Ferdinand and a Chelsea steward but the contender for the England captaincy will face no charges, on the basis that the incident was an accident and an apology had been made.
The statement continued: "In reaching its decision The FA relied largely on evidence provided by the steward in question. However, Ferdinand has been reminded of his responsibilities."