FA disciplinary chiefs will examine television footage of the incident which occurred during Saturday's derby game and the City defender looks set to be charged.

An FA spokesman told the Press Association: "We will look at the television footage of the incidents tomorrow and ask the officials what action they would have taken had they seen the incidents, and any charges will be based on that."

In the event of charges being levelled, Ball will have until Wednesday to respond and under the fast-track system a disciplinary hearing would take place on Thursday.

Officials from the FA's compliance department will also have to decide whether the player should be charged with violent conduct or the more-serious offence of serious foul play.

That was the charge brought against Ben Thatcher earlier this season after his elbow assault on Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes while the defender was playing for Manchester City. He was suspended for eight matches by the FA.

An apparent headbutt by Fulham's Michael Brown on Liverpool's Xabi Alonso will also be investigated on Tuesday.