Football Echo: Blood Red: Muscat actions disregarded.

Byline: CHRIS BASCOMBE: NORTH WEST SPORTS REPORTER OF THE YEAR

IT WAS an ugly scene. The New Den witnessed the return of the kind of individual no-one wants to see at a football match.

Steam was blurting out of his ears. He was prepared to take football back to the dark ages, engaging in the kind of vicious assaults normally reserved for Arsenal versus Manchester United fixtures.

So what are the FA going to do about Kevin Muscat?

Within a day of Ruud Van Nistelrooy's challenge of Ashley Cole, media pressure had played its part in the striker correctly being banned for three games.

Muscat's indiscretions on Tuesday have gone unnoticed, despite enough video evidence to back a charge of serious foul play.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle is adamant the injury he suffered early in the second half was nothing to do with a collision with advertising boards.

And further challenges on Milan Baros and Stephen Warnock went beyond mere `passion'.

Meanwhile, clearly those who've written in to express their disgust at Millwall's chants know what they heard and are right to point out how vile it was.

I also hope the reaction registers with the mindless minority and I stress minority of Liverpool fans who sing about Harold Shipman when the Reds play Manchester United.

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UP-ENDED: Muscat fells Stephen Warnock