Cook caught up in Toffees row

City defend chief executive in boardroom row

Cook: Asked to explain actions

Everton have written to Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook following an alleged boardroom row with an Everton fan.

The game was overshadowed by a bust-up between managers Roberto Mancini andDavid Moyes near the end of the game and now it seems trouble has spilled over into the boardroom.

Reports suggest Cook had a stand-up row with George Downing, who was a guest of theGoodison Park club for Everton's 2-0 win from the directors' box at Eastlands on Wednesday.

Cook and Downing, a regular guest of the Everton board, are alleged to have exchanged words in the directors' box before the latter, who was attending the game with his wife, was asked to leave.

Everton have now written to Cook to demand an explanation following the incident.

City, though, are bemused at his and Everton's reaction to the episode and are denying any wrong-doing from their chief executive, believing that he was merely reacting to Downing's behaviour, which they claim was inappropriate.

City are claiming that near the end of the match Downing joined the Everton supporters singing of their impending victory while still in the directors' box. City claim he directed at least one chorus of this at Cook, though this is denied.

Everton contacted Cook on Mr Downing's behalf on Thursday and a spokesman said: "We have written to Mr Cook asking for his observations with regard to the incident."

Relations between the two clubs have been strained since Joleon Lescott's controversial £22 million transfer from Goodison Park to Eastlands last August, when City were accused of deliberately unsettling the England defender during their attempts to lure the player away from Merseyside.