The Football Association launch investigation after Wayne Rooney coin controversy

The FA are to launch an investigation into the Crystal Palace fans that pelted Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney with coins during the Eagle’s 2-0 defeat to United on Saturday.

Fresh from signing a new £300,000 per week deal at the club, Rooney was subjected to a hostile reception from the lower tier of the Holmesdale Road end when taking corners in the first half of the tie. This culminated in a number of coins being thrown at the England forward.

The FA could decide to charge Crystal Palace, if they find that the Selhurst Park outfit were negligent in their response to the incidents, although this is unlikely.

More likely are individual bans for fans, who the FA hope to identify using CCTV footage. Anyone found to have thrown coins is likely to find themselves in front of a magistrate and will receive a lengthy stadium ban.

The incidence of coin throwing happened midway through the first half of the clash, shortly after the footage from the Vine above.

Tensions were already running high at Selhurst Park prior to the match, with the home side wary of avoiding flashpoints in the fixture that saw Eric Cantona kung fu kick a fan in 1995.

However while stewards ensured that travelling fans with Cantona masks had them confiscated, the men in orange had their work cut out when dealing with the corner of home fans that threw coins, prompting the FA investigation.