Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for appearing to stamp on Emre Can during Chelsea's League Cup semi-final win over Liverpool on Tuesday.
The Spain international was vying for the ball near the touchline in the 12th minute of the second leg at Stamford Bridge when he stood hard on Can's shin as the midfielder slid to try to win possession.
Referee Michael Oliver missed the incident during the game, which Chelsea won 1-0 to progress to the final 2-1 on aggregate, but the FA has taken a dim view and decided to launch retrospective action.
However, Costa will face no consequences for a similar incident involving Martin Skrtel in the second half.
An FA statement read: "Diego Costa has been charged by the FA for violent conduct following an on-field incident which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.
"The charge is in relation to an incident involving the Chelsea forward and Liverpool's Emre Can which occurred in the 12th minute of the League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge last night [Tuesday 27 January 2015].
"The player has until 6pm on Thursday 29 January 2015 to respond to the charge.
"Following a review of an incident during the game involving Costa and Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel, the FA will not be taking any further action."
The prospect of Costa facing a ban will not please Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who was fined £25,000 earlier on Wednesday for claiming his team were victims of a "campaign" to influence referees after the 1-1 Premier League draw at Southampton last month.
Mourinho defended Costa following his flashpoints against Liverpool and stated that the coming together with Can was "accidental".
"Maybe you [the media] are already influenced by the campaign on the television with certain pundits saying that Costa has crimes - they must be nuts, the guy who says that," said Mourinho.
"I have to say that he goes for the ball, he chases it, the opponent [Can] goes to the floor and he puts his foot there when he is looking at the ball... What you call stamps, and Sky calls crimes, I have to say accidental."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers took a different view and suggested that Costa should be punished.
He told Sky Sports: "These things happen in the game but I think anyone watching it would not like to see what we've seen Diego Costa do.
"Not just on Martin Skrtel but on Emre Can, a young player who was clearly stamped on. You don't want to see that. There's no need for it."
Costa has proven a hit at Stamford Bridge since arriving from Atletico Madrid in the close-season, scoring 17 Premier League goals.
However, the Brazil-born striker has faced scrutiny for his actions after picking up eight bookings in all competitions, including a caution in a 6-3 win at Everton in August when he was involved in several on-pitch incidents including squaring up to goalkeeper Tim Howard.