Manchester City apologised after Rio Ferdinand was struck with a coin thought to have been thrown from the crowd as the derby match ended in ugly scenes.
“We apologise to Rio,” said a City spokesperson. “We condemn the actions of the individual concerned. We are reviewing the CCTV with the police and our normal security. We will support the police with any investigation and hopefully identify the person as soon as possible.”
The Football Association has confirmed it has opened an investigation after the United defender was seen wiping blood from his face following the incident which took place in the aftermath of United’s injury-time winning goal in their 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
After Ferdinand was struck, a Manchester City fan ran on to the pitch in the former England defender’s direction. He slipped and fell up to 10 yards away and as he approached the player was then obstructed by City’s keeper Joe Hart, who pushed him away. The supporter was then led away from the pitch. The incident was not shown to viewers by the Sky Sports cameras.
A message on Ferdinand’s official Twitter account posted at 4.34pm read: “what a result, 3points! Sweet! Whoever threw that coin, what a shot! Can’t believe it was a copper 2p….could have at least been a 1 coin!”
When Ferdinand left the pitch at the end he was seen to have an object in his hand which he showed to the referee Martin Atkinson before he threw it to the ground.
Praising the football, the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, told Sky Sports: “It’s just unfortunate towards the end a City fan runs on and then they throw coins at our players and that. I don’t think you need that. The same thing happened at Chelsea which was masked really by all the other things that happened.
“But, you know, two fantastic teams today, I think, and a fantastic game of football, and it could do without that.”
The match-winner, Robin van Persie, was unaware Ferdinand had been injured as he was interviewed after the match. “I missed the thing with Rio so I will have to look back at it but that should not really happen on a football pitch,” he said.
The violent scenes at the end were in contrast to earlier on. According to Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Twitter feed, there had only been one arrest by 2pm, that of a suspected ticket tout outside the stadium. During the game, though, GMP announced that another man had been arrested inside the ground on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence after officers heard racist chanting.
Earlier, the match commander Supt Craig Thompson said: “I have every confidence this match will mirror the two derbies last season and the football will be the only talking point.”