The Football Association will launch an investigation on Monday after thousands of fans invaded the pitch in ugly scenes which marred the end of their FA Cup quarter-final win over West Brom.
There is also the possibility of action from West Midlands Police amid claims that West Brom midfielder Callum McManaman was struck and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill was involved in a confrontation after a Villa fan tried to take a selfie with him.
Even Aston Villa captain Fabian Delph said that a supporter had tried to bite him.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis accused Villa of failing to control the situation with referee Anthony Taylor having already halted the match after one minor invasion.
“It was disgraceful,” Pulis said. “You don’t want to see those scenes. Mindless idiots. Villa need to look at stewarding.
“It’s a quarter-final of an FA Cup, it’s a full house and you know that it’s going to be tasty, let’s put it that way.
"The hierarchy at Villa should recognise that you need stewards at both ends of the pitch.
"To see the supporters coming on with three or four minutes to go... but they were congregating before that time. It puts players in danger.”
Helpless: Stewards cannot prevent fans coming onto the field
Taunt: A Villa fan mocks West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill
Ugly: Fans confront police
Goalscorer Delph added: “My armband got nicked, someone got my left boot, but I could appreciate the relief the fans are feeling after a result like that. It was dangerous.
"Someone tried to take my boot off. People tried to kiss me and were biting me. It was scary.”
McManaman was angrily confronted by at least one fan and was then dragged away by his team-mate Craig Dawson as the players tried to flee the pitch following the final whistle.
Myhill was also confronted and it took the stewards around 20 minutes to eventually clear the pitch.
The FA will contact Villa to ask for an explanation and review all video footage. The FA also had a crowd assessor at the match — as it does all FA Cup ties — and will await his report as well as the observations of the referee.
PLEASE jus get home safe everyone. Stupid scenes..
— Ben Foster (@BenFoster) March 7, 2015 Punishments could include a partial or full ground closure but such a drastic measure is extremely unlikely as Villa are not serial offenders.
A more likely outcome if Villa have been proven negligent is that the club will be fined heavily, as West Ham United were in 2009 for the behaviour of their fans during the FA Cup tie against Millwall. The east London club was fined £115,000.
Fans stream on past alarmed West Brom players
Villa fans celebrate at the end of their win
Villa manager Tim Sherwood said he could not “condone the fans entering the field” but added: “But I have to be totally honest I can understand their emotions, they’ve just beat their local rivals twice in a week and once in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, so the emotions are running very, very high.
"But like I say, the club wouldn’t condone that sort of action, especially if anyone was touched. I was unaware of that.
“What can you do? The stewards did their best, I saw them rugby tackle a few guys, but when they are coming on in such numbers it’s difficult to stem it."
Aston Villa issued a statement on Saturday night condemning fans who took part in the invasion.
"The club does not condone supporters invading the field of play under any circumstances," Villa said in the statement.
"We are very disappointed that what should have been a very memorable and proud moment for our fans was marred by the actions of those who could not control themselves.
"They have let both themselves and their club down.
"The club extends its sincere apologies to the Football Association, the West Bromwich Albion directors, manager Tony Pulis and all his staff and players."
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