Cesc Fàbregas, the Arsenal captain, has launched an impassioned defence against allegations that he spat at Brian Horton, the Hull City assistant manager, last month. The Spain midfield player was charged by the FA last week for allegedly spitting at Horton in the tunnel after Arsenal’s acrimonious FA Cup quarter-final win at the Emirates Stadium on March 17.

Fàbregas immediately wrote to the FA denying the charge and went public yesterday with his grievances. The 21-year-old was also charged with unlawfully entering the field of play because he was not playing in the match in question, a trivial offence that has made him feel exasperated.

The spitting allegations were first made by Phil Brown, the Hull manager, in the aftermath of a stormy match during which Arsenal came from behind to win. Brown claimed that he saw Fàbregas spit at Horton and both have lodged a formal complaint with the FA, while the club’s fitness coordinator, Sean Rush, has made a statement. None of the match officials saw the incident and there is no video footage available, with Arsenal giving Fàbregas their full support.

“My mind and my heart will be relaxed because I have not done anything wrong,” Fàbregas said. “If they suspend me, then I don’t know what to do. I came on to the pitch, but eight players were on the pitch as well so everyone should be suspended for that.”

Fàbregas’s reputation has been further damaged by a video on YouTube that appeared to show him spitting at Michael Ballack in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich four years ago. It is understood, however, that Ballack has told his Chelsea team-mates that Fàbregas did not spit at him, although this character reference will not influence the FA.