Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has called for Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse to be handed lengthy bans for spitting at each other last night.
Evans appeared to spit to the ground in the direction of Cisse during Manchester United's 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St. James' Park, while Cisse then seemed to spit back.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal claimed post match that he did not see the incident, as did Newcastle boss John Carver, but TV replays could well be reviewed by the Football Association.
And Hamann thinks the authorities need to come down hard on the pair, putting out a marker that spitting at opponents is not acceptable.
"Both players will have a few weeks off. This is not acceptable, it's disgusting", the former Liverpool man said on the BBC's Match of the Day programme.
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"There are kids watching – something has to be done. The behaviour towards each other and the referee is deteriorating on a weekly basis."
Hamann's words were echoed by former Manchester United coach Phil Neville on the same programme, who expressed his view that spitting is "the worst thing you can do on a pitch."
Referee Anthony Taylor did appear to speak to both players after an incident which appeared to show the pair kicking at each other.
But Taylor did not show either a yellow card. Spitting is a sending off offence if seen by a referee.
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