FA charge Bastian Schweinsteiger with violent conduct

Bastian Schweinsteiger in training prior to the UEFA Champions League match against VfL Wolfsburg. Picture: Getty

Schweinsteiger stuck out his left arm and caught Reid in the throat as both players jostled for position in the build-up to a first-half free-kick.

Referee Mark Clattenburg spoke to both players to calm them down, but did not see the apparent elbow and it was therefore not mentioned in his post-match report.

That left the FA free to punish the midfielder retrospectively.

An FA statement read: “Bastian Schweinsteiger has been charged for an alleged act of violent conduct which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.

“The Manchester United midfielder was involved in an incident with West Ham United’s Winston Reid in the 40th minute of the game on Saturday (5 December, 2015).

“The matter was referred to a panel of three former elite referees who each reviewed the video footage independently of one another to determine whether they considered it a sending-off offence.

“For an FA charge to follow the decision by the panel must be unanimous.

“The player has until 12 noon on Thursday 10 December 2015 to reply to the charge.”

The 31-year-old is facing a three-match ban if found guilty.

Already hampered by a lengthy injury list, United cannot afford to lose the influential player for their next three league games, which are against Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke.

Schweinsteiger was prevented from speaking about the incident at United’s pre-match press conference in Wolfsburg last night.

“We’re here to talk about the game,” a United official said when a reporter asked the German about the clash with Reid.

United have been forced to bring a threadbare squad to Germany for their decisive Champions League match in which only a win will guarantee a place in the last 16.

An injury crisis means manager Louis van Gaal has had to call up a number of youngsters, with seven senior players out through injury, the most notable absentee being Wayne Rooney, who has been suffering with an ankle problem.

Paddy McNair is named in the squad despite coming off against the Hammers with an ankle injury, and his half-time replacement, Guillermo Varela, is also in the 19-man party.

Nick Powell, who has only played one game for United in the last three years, is also in the squad.

The 21-year-old is joined by fellow midfielder Sean Goss, who is yet to make his debut, and 18-year-old defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.