The English FA are waiting for the referee’s report before deciding whether to take any action against Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas following an allegation he spat at Hull City assistant manager Brian Horton. Hull manager Phil Brown had accused Spaniard Fabregas of spitting at the feet of Horton in the tunnel of the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal‘s 2-1 FA Cup quarterfinal victory on Tuesday.

“We are aware of the allegations but are waiting for the report from referee Mike Riley, or if there is any complaint from Hull City,” an FA spokesman said on Wednesday.

Fabregas strongly denied spitting at anyone.

“I categorically deny that I spat at anybody after the match,” Fabregas, who did not play because of injury, said in a statement on Arsenal’s website (http://www.arsenal.com).

“I have never done this in my whole career on the pitch, so why would I do it when I am not even playing?

“I can understand the frustration of losing a game to a dubious goal, that has happened to me many times in my career as well. But this is not the fault of me or any of the Arsenal players.”

Brown said he had watched Fabregas spitting near his assistant manager.

“I was there and I witnessed it, he spat at my assistant manager down the tunnel,” Brown had said at a post-match news conference after William Gallas’s controversial late header knocked his side out of the Cup.

Brown added: “He spat at his feet.”

Arsenal manager Wenger said he had not witnessed any incidents at the end of the game.

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It was the Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard who kept his team in the FA Cup by equalizing 6 minutes before the turn of the hour against Everton at Anfield on Sunday night. The two teams drew 1 – 1  for the second time in a week.

When the teams met on Monday, it was Everton who fought back to force a draw and dent Liverpool’s Premier League title ambitions, but Sunday’s fourth round tie saw the Reds come from behind.

Everton took the lead in the 27th minute when Liverpool failed to mark Tim Cahill in the box.

The Australia midfielder’s header from Steven Pienaar’s corner was nodded home from close range by Joleon Lescott.

But Gerrard, as he’s done so often before, dragged Liverpool back into the match with a well-struck shot six minutes before the hour although Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard ought to have saved at his near post.

Gerrard, who opened the scoring on Monday, said Liverpool had deserved to win this match.

“In the league game Everton were worthy of a point but for 90 minutes we’ve dominated the game and they’ve scored off a set-piece which is disappointing,” he said.

“I thought we were fantastic. The only thing we’ll look at is set-pieces and being a bit more clinical in front of goal.” Asked about the undesirability of a replay, Gerrard said: “Both sides could have done without it, both would have wanted to progress tonight.”

Earlier, Arsenal were also left contemplating the somewhat unwelcome prospect of a replay against Cardiff City after their Welsh opponents held them to a goalless draw at Ninian Park.

“We could do without it, but let’s not complain because we play football,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

“It’s one more game to play. If that’s the price we have to pay to stay in the hat, we’re happy to do it.”

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