Uefa are to establish a pan-European police unit to restore order at major matches, amid rising alarm at the violent clashes involving English supporters. As inquests continued into the fighting that scarred Manchester United and Tottenham's games this week, both clubs have directed the blame squarely at the heavy-handedness of police responses in Rome and Seville.

The European governing body's solution is to host a 'round table' of police chiefs before the start of next season, with the aim of creating a cross-border force that applies a clearer form of zero tolerance on football violence.

"We have been seriously concerned about the law and order situation around European games for the last six months," a senior Uefa source said.

"We are looking to create a type of European sports police, a way of dealing systematically with the problem. We need cool heads. First of all, we cannot tolerate violence in any form off the pitch, but we also have to understand the mechanics of it."