Sir Alex Ferguson will return to the Emirates Stadium tomorrow lunchtime, 12 months after complaining of being subjected to “disgraceful” abuse by Arsenal supporters, but the Manchester United manager might be advised to enjoy the view from the touchline while he still can, having been charged with improper conduct by the FA yesterday after an angry post-match tirade at Mike Dean, the referee, at Old Trafford last weekend.

Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, had to be restrained by Gary Neville, the United captain, after venting his fury at Dean at the end of his team’s nervous 4-3 victory over Hull City. Ferguson’s rant included an allegation that Dean had failed to offer United’s players sufficient protection from what he perceived as a series of overzealous challenges. In particular, he was angry that Dean did not show a second yellow card to Michael Turner, the Hull defender, for a foul on Michael Carrick. Dean included the exchange in his official report to the FA’s disciplinary department.

The FA has given Ferguson until a week on Wednesday to respond, with a fine and a touchline ban likely to be imposed if he is found guilty. The Scot is certain to enlist the help of Graham Bean, the FA’s former compliance officer, as well as Maurice Watkins, United’s solicitor, in his attempt to avoid censure. A guilty verdict would bring a heavy penalty, given that it is less than 12 months since he served a two-match touchline ban and was fined £5,000 for an outburst at Mark Clattenburg, the referee, during a 1-0 defeat away to Bolton Wanderers.

The FA was also surprised and disappointed last season that an independent disciplinary commission cleared Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz, then his assistant manager, of improper conduct after an outspoken attack on Martin Atkinson, the referee, in the wake of United’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Portsmouth in March.

Ferguson will address the matter at his weekly press briefing this lunchtime, but he may also take the opportunity to raise the concerns that he articulated a year ago about security arrangements at the Emirates Stadium. On that occasion, during a hard-fought 2-2 draw, Ferguson complained that he and his staff had been subjected to “disgraceful” abuse by Arsenal supporters around his dugout. Ferguson had said that United’s security staff were compiling a dossier on the matter, but nothing more was said.

Much has been made of Arsenal’s plight in recent weeks, but United’s players, when turning their thoughts back to the Premier League after their 1-1 draw away to Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday, were careful to show respect for Arsène Wenger’s team.

“Last season Arsenal started very well and dropped points at the end of the season,” Cristiano Ronaldo, the United forward, said. “Maybe this time they will lose points at the start and then win them in the last part of the season. I don’t know if it’s tough for them at the moment, but I know it will be difficult there because it always is.”

Ryan Giggs agreed. “No matter what the state of either team is, it’s always a tough game when United and Arsenal play each other,” the 34-year-old said. “Remember, we’re also behind Chelsea and Liverpool, so we really can’t afford to make mistakes ourselves.”

Ferguson will restore Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney to his starting line-up against Arsenal, after they were rested against Celtic, but he has assured Ben Foster, who made only his second appearance for the club in Glasgow, that he has a bright future at the club.

Foster, 25, has admitted to having spoken to Ferguson about his prospects, with Van der Sar still the first-choice goalkeeper, but he said: “The boss has had some good words with me now and I’m happy to stay.”