West Ham captain Joe Cole could face criminal proceedings after he allegedly punched an opposition player as he left the pitch following yesterday's crucial Premiership match at Bolton.
Police refused to rule out further action being taken against the England midfielder following reports of a "number of incidents" in the tunnel after the game.
In one, 21-year-old Cole was seen "apparently punching" French defender Bernard Mendy and "kicking out and damaging the tunnel", a police spokesman said.
His team-mate Rufus Brevett was also under investigation over claims he was involved in an altercation with a police officer, he added.
Superintendent Alan Greene said: "I will be forwarding a report to The FA about the behaviour of some of the West Ham players and I will await their response."
While currently "making inquiries to establish the facts", Greater Manchester Police could not rule out the possibility that further action could be taken against the players, the spokesman added.
The match, which Bolton won 1-0, was seen as a crucial relegation decider between the two teams as they battle for survival in the Premiership.
Bolton's victory means West Ham now trail the Trotters by six points with just four games remaining, making it difficult for them to avoid relegation to Nationwide Division One.
PA