A 30-year-old man has been bailed to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 26 March after he was charged with common assault and encroaching on to the playing area after he made it onto the pitch during Arsenal’s game against Manchester United on Sunday.

The man, who has been named as Gary Cooper of Styventon Place, Chertsey, Surrey, entered the field of play on Sunday around the 70th minute-mark to confront the United player.

The incident came on the same weekend a Birmingham City fan made it onto the pitch during their derby game against Aston Villa in order to punch Jack Grealish.

Paul Mitchell received a custodial sentence of 14 weeks after he admitted assault and encroachment.

He “cannot explain what came over him yesterday morning”, his solicitor, Vaughn Whistance, said.

“His initial foolish intention was to just go on to the pitch and whip up the crowd.”

Mitchell was also banned from football matches in the UK for 10 years and ordered to pay costs of £350 which include £100 ‘compensation’ for Grealish’s ‘pain, discomfort and shock’