Manchester United’s seven bookings against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday have earned them a £25,000 fine from the FA.

Rules dictate that any team which picks up six or more bookings in match is fined. The penalty will double to £50,000 if six or more United players are booked in a single game in the remainder of the season.

But United will not face disciplinary action after players remonstrated with an assistant referee after Tottenham’s goal. Players thought that Jermaine Jenas, the Tottenham midfielder, had handled the ball while on the ground in the build-up to Dimitar Berbatov’s goal.

Rio Ferdinand defended the players’ actions. “I thought they were fortunate with their goal," he said. "It was handball and how the linesman didn’t see it I will never know, I was behind it and I could see it and I don’t know how the linesman didn’t. That’s why I was remonstrating with him.

“I thought he handled it. Owen [Hargreaves] would have cleaned up if he hadn’t hit the ball with his hand and then it led to the cross and the goal.”

Ferdinand was pleased by the result, despite falling two points behind Arsenal. “I think it was a point gained at White Hart Lane if you look at it and the way the game panned out," he said. “We are a never-say-die team and you never know what will happen. We had to show grit and determination. You need that spirit if you want to win things.”