Jamie Carragher, the Liverpool defender, will not face disciplinary action over an altercation with Luton Town supporters after the clubs’ FA Cup third-round tie at Kenilworth Road on Sunday. The 29-year-old was alleged to have climbed up the stand to confront eight home supporters after his postmatch warm-down, but, with eyewitnesses suggesting that it had been blown out of proportion, the incident has been played down by Liverpool, Bedfordshire Police and the FA.

One newspaper claimed that Carragher had clambered up a fence to fight with some Luton supporters in an executive box, but Liverpool officials painted a very different scenario yesterday. While accepting that the player should not have reacted as he did, the Merseyside club claimed in Carragher’s defence that he had been subjected to intense provocation while signing autographs for young Luton supporters after the 1-1 draw.

A Liverpool official said: “At the end of the warm-down, Jamie went back to sign autographs for youngsters in the executive boxes. Unfortunately, he was subjected to a tirade of foul-mouthed abuse and also had beer thrown at him. He probably would have been wiser not to get involved, but there is only so much that any human being can take.”

One of the fans involved in the confrontation accused Carragher of “behaving like a thug” yesterday, but other spectators near by backed Liverpool’s claim that the player was subjected to fierce provocation.

“It was awful,” Simon Lamport, who was sitting with his son in a nearby executive box, said. “He [Carragher] was making the kids’ day by coming over and meeting them. He was the perfect gentleman. They were swearing at him, the language was terrible and they were even making references to his mother. Even then, Jamie just told them to calm down. Then someone spat at him and a drink was thrown at him. I’m from Luton and I thought what happened was disgusting.”

The incident has been the subject of an internal investigation by Luton’s safety officer, but Bedfordshire Police have no intention of pursuing the matter, saying yesterday: “We have not had complaints or reports from either party.”

The FA is not expected to investigate the incident, which is not thought to have been mentioned in the referee’s postmatch report.