LONDON: Six Arsenal players and two from Manchester United have been charged with improper conduct after a bust-up in Sunday's 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, the Football Association (FA) said yesterday.

Arsenal, as a club, have been charged with misconduct. Individual charges also apply to defenders Ashley Cole, Martin Keown and Cameroon's Lauren, German keeper Jens Lehmann, midfielder Ray Parlour and French skipper Patrick Vieira.

Lauren, who has been given two improper conduct charges, also faces a further two charges of violent behaviour. Keown and Parlour also face one count of violent behaviour each.

United winger Ryan Giggs and Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo have also been charged with improper conduct, while team mate Phil Neville has been warned as to his future conduct.

Arsenal's charge arises from the club's failure to ensure the proper behaviour of the league leaders' players.

All parties have 14 days to respond to the charges, the FA said on its website.

United issued a statement almost immediately, saying: "We have received the details of the charges from the FA and we are currently reviewing them internally with our lawyers, the manager and the players involved.

"Until that review is completed, the club will be making no further comment."

The trouble broke out after a late red card for Vieira.

At the final whistle, Keown leapt into Ruud van Nistelrooy in mock celebration, with United's Dutch striker also being jostled by several other Arsenal players.

The treatment was meted out to Van Nistelrooy, who had just missed a stoppage-time penalty. His earlier tangle with Vieira had led to the red card - an incident which led Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to later accuse the Dutchman of cheating.

Vieira dismissal

Vieira and Van Nistelrooy also had a heated exchange in the players' tunnel after the match, according to French newspaper L'Equipe.

The FA said Vieira's charge arose "for failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off, and for instead seeking to confront van Nistelrooy and engaging in a verbal exchange with fourth official Neale Barry."

Vieira, who collected his ninth and Arsenal's 52nd red card under Wenger, said at the time he believed he had been wrongly dismissed. He said his club would be appealing against the decision of the referee Steve Bennett.

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 09/25/2003 page8)