PICTURE: Bellamy Punches United Fan

Mark Hughes, who last week shamefully defended Adebayor's stamp on Van Persie's face, has again attempted to defend the indefensible.

"The guy shouldn't have been on the pitch, that's just not acceptable," he said. "I seem to remember Brian Clough clipping someone around the earhole because he was being daft, and maybe that's what Craig has done.