PAPISS CISSE and Jonny Evans have both been charged by the Football Association for allegedly spitting at each other during Wednesday's Premier League match at St James' Park.

Manchester United defender Evans has strenuously denied the claims but the Magpies' Senegalese forward has apologised for his actions already after the FA launched an investigation and accepted the charge.

Evans has until 6pm on Friday to respond, even though referee Anthony Taylor did not see the original incident when it happened.

A FA statement read: "In Premier League matches, if an incident has not been seen by the match officials, a three-man panel of former elite referees will be asked by the FA to review the footage independently of each other.

"They will then advise what, if any action, they believe the match referee should have taken had it been witnessed at the time. For an FA charge to follow, all three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence. 

"In this instance, the decision by the panel was unanimous in respect of both players."

Evans and Cisse could face lengthy bans.

Evans, a former Sunderland loan signing, said: “Having woken up this morning I am shocked to have seen the media coverage from last night’s match. I would like to make it clear that I did not spit at Papiss Cisse.

"I was totally unaware of any spitting incident and had assumed that the issue at the time was with the challenge and his attempted retaliation to the tackle from the floor. During the game Papiss Cisse and I spoke about the incident and it is clear by my reaction in the television footage that I was totally surprised by any suggestion of spitting.

"It is not in my character or in my nature to spit at anybody nor is it something I have ever done or would ever do. It is certainly not something that I did last night."

Evans’ comments follow similar remarks issued by Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal, while the Dutchman and Newcastle interim boss John Carver admitted they had not seen the incident.

Taylor is not thought to have witnessed the moment which followed Cisse’s appeals for a free-kick and he had waved play on.

It was at that point when the two players clashed after television replays suggested the men spat during an unsavoury confrontation.

Cisse said: "I have apologies to make to a lot of people today.  Firstly to my teammates and to our supporters, secondly to Jonny Evans, and thirdly to every football fan who saw the incident between myself and Jonny.

“I reacted to something I found very unpleasant.  Sometimes it is hard not to react, particularly in the heat of the moment.  I have always tried hard to be a positive role model, especially for our young fans, and yesterday I let you down.

“I hope children out there playing football for their clubs and schools this weekend will know better than to retaliate when they are angry.  Perhaps when they see the problem it now causes me and my team they will be able to learn from my mistake, not copy it.”