Newcastle manager Alan Pardew sent off for headbutting a player as his team beat Hull 4-1

ALAN Pardew faces investigation after headbutting a player during Newcastle’s 4-1 win against Hull. Video: watch the incident.

Newcastle’s Alan Pardew (right) appeared to take umbrage when Hull’s David Meyler (third left) pushed him to recover the ball as the hosts tried to get back into the game at 3-1 down during the second-half. Picture: Lynne Cameron

NEWCASTLE manager Alan Pardew has been fined $190,000 and will face a Football Association investigation after his headbutt on Hull’s David Meyler during his side’s 4-1 win.

Pardew apologised for the ugly clash and claimed his actions were just a “heat of the moment thing”, but FA chairman Greg Dyke made it clear the English game’s governing body would launch a full probe into one of the more remarkable incidents in Premier League history.

“Well I’ve only just seen the clip and clearly it looks serious and we will investigate it,” Dyke told BBC Sport.

“I can’t really say anything else at this stage.”

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Pardew appeared to take umbrage when Meyler pushed him to recover the ball as the hosts tried to get back into the game at 3-1 down during the second-half and the manager offered no protest when referee Kevin Friend sent him off.

Pardew, who has a history of explosive touchline bust-ups including a furious row with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger during his time at West Ham, was quick to accept responsibility for his behaviour when he appeared before the media immediately after the match.

“It was a heat of the moment thing. I massively regret it and I will have to sit down from now on,” Pardew said.

“I didn’t mean to do anything aggressive. I did move my head forward and that’s enough. I tried to push him away with my head and I shouldn’t have done that.

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“Of course I apologise. I represent a big club. It’s a shame because it’s taken the gloss off a terrific performance. My team were terrific and it’s only myself who had a poor performance.”

Despite his apology, the 52-year-old is likely to face severe punishment from the FA, with a long touchline ban possible, while bookmakers installed Pardew as the favourite to be the next top-flight manager sacked, particularly after the heavy fine from his own club.

“Alan has accepted a formal warning from the club in relation to his behaviour today and also a club fine of 100,000,” said a club statement.

Hull manager Steve Bruce was keen to draw a line under the incident and said: “We accept Alan Pardew’s apology. He has been big enough and brave enough to come out and apologise which is that you would expect. In the heat of the moment things happen but Alan has apologised.

“I can only be complimentary to David Meyler because of the way he reacted to it. He could have rolled around on the floor but he didn’t.

“I am sure Alan will regret an unsavoury incident that I have not seen the like of before. It has obviously tarnished an afternoon for them and Newcastle’s supporters.”

The scenes overshadowed a fine win for Newcastle as a double by Moussa Sissoko, one from Loic Remy and a late strike by Vurnon Anita saw them to a comfortable win.

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Newcastle broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Remy and Mathieu Debuchy linked up well down the right, with the latter finding Sissoko, who neatly took his chance.

However, Hull took the upper hand following Sissoko’s goal with Nikica Jelavic twice going close, first with a superb header and then a free-kick which deflected off the wall and came back off the crossbar.

Newcastle made them pay for that as Maynor Figueroa underhit a backpass to Allan McGregor and Remy pounced on it to stroke home his 13th league goal of the campaign.

The hosts reduced the deficit when three minutes into the second-half Curtis Davies benefited from a mistake by Tim Krul to head into the net.

However, the visitors restored their two-goal advantage through Sissoko, who started the move from inside his own half, passed to Remy, who found Yoan Gouffran and when McGregor saved his shot Sissoko was on hand to roll the ball into the net.

Pardew’s red card followed soon afterwards but he was still able to celebrate the fourth goal from the directors’ box when Anita popped up to beat McGregor from close range.