Manchester United and Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans has been banned for six games for his part in the spitting incident with Newcastle's Papiss Cisse. Evans, a 27-year-old centre-back was involved in an exchange with the Senegalese striker, where it appeared both men spat at each other.

Whereas Papiss Cisse pleaded guilty to the offence and in turn received a seven game ban, Evans on the other hand has strongly protested his innocence. However after reviewing video footage which wasn't available during the game, a panel of ex-referees ruled that Evans spat at Cisse.

The incident occurred in the first half of the match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Newcastle's St James' Park.

Jonny Evans did release a statement on the issue on Thursday which read:

" I would like to make it clear that I did not spit at Papiss Cisse. Having woke up this morning, I am shocked to have seen the media coverage of this match.

After being charged by the FA, Jonny Evans has been given no grounds to appeal on. The 27-year-old will miss games against Arsenal in the FA Cup, league games against Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea, and a potential semi-final FA Cup tie.

Newcastle Striker Papiss Cisse will be absent for the games against Everton, Arsenal, Sunderland, Liverpool, Tottenham, Swansea and Leicester.

This incident brings back bad memories of past cases such as El Hadji Diouf spitting at Celtic fans in a UEFA Europa League game a few years back at Celtic's Parkhead ground. Arjen De Zeuw of Portsmouth was another case of spitting in Football.

Spitting hasn't been as prominent in recent years but in the case of Evans and Cisse to see sport's athletes spitting at each other is a disgusting act on so many levels - humanitarianly and on a sporting field.

Racism has been a well documented problem in recent years and rightly so. Spitting needs to be eradicated, it has no place in football or any sport.

Biting, racism and spitting, nome of these acts are expectable in football or sport. If we aren't careful the beautiful game could turn ugly and no one would want that.