Both men have been charged by the Football Association and have until 6pm this evening to respond.

The melee had been sparked following a confrontation between Chelsea midfielder Mikel Jon Obi and Gunners skipper Kolo Toure during the closing stages at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, with players and coaches from both sides becoming involved.

Once calm had finally been restored, Toure and Mikel were both shown straight red cards by referee Howard Webb, with Adebayor also dismissed following consultation with his assistant.

The Togo striker - whose reaction to the decision prompted a separate FA charge yesterday - had lodged an appeal, which, along with Mikel's, was rejected last night.

Adebayor, like centre-back Toure, will now serve an immediate three-match ban, ruling them out of tonight's FA Cup fifth-round replay at Blackburn.

As it was Mikel's second sending off of the season, the Chelsea midfielder will see out an extra game's suspension.

All three players will, however, still be available for their respective sides' Champions League last 16 second leg clashes next week, with that being a UEFA competition.

It is, though, the separate charges levied on both clubs, as well as Adebayor and Eboue individually, which could prove more costly, particularly for Arsenal.

Eboue, 23, has been charged with violent conduct for striking Chelsea's Wayne Bridge during the melee, while Adebayor - whose appeal was not based on mistaken identity - has also been cited following his reaction to being shown a red card.

Each club can expect a heavy fine while, if found guilty under the FA's disciplinary system, Eboue and Adebayor are likely to face suspension, which would come at a crucial stage of the season.

Ivory Coast full-back Eboue will discover his fate tomorrow at a hearing of the FA disciplinary commission, while officials will rule on Adebayor, 22, separately on Tuesday March 6.

An FA statement read: "Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue has been charged with violent conduct for striking Chelsea's Wayne Bridge. He has until 6pm tomorrow to respond, and the case will be heard by a disciplinary commission on Thursday on the basis of documents and video evidence.

"His team-mate, Emmanuel Adebayor, has been charged with reacting aggressively and failing to leave the field of play immediately after being sent off.

"He has until 6pm tomorrow to respond to the charge and his case will be heard by a disciplinary commission on Tuesday, March 6.

"As this charge is outside the jurisdiction of the match officials (he had already been sent off), he has the right to a personal hearing."

It tarnished what had been a fine football match in Cardiff, which Chelsea won despite Arsenal taking an early lead and the subsequent loss of their captain John Terry to a head injury.

The FA statement continued: "Arsenal and Chelsea have been charged with misconduct for an incident involving players and officials from both clubs towards the end of the Carling Cup final on Sunday February 25.

"The charge alleges that the clubs failed to ensure that their players and/or officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative and/or violent behaviour.

"The clubs have until March 14 to respond. There are no individual charges against officials from either Arsenal or Chelsea.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger last night expressed his regret over the incident.

"I feel we should not have reacted at all. Overall we are sorry for what happened. When you do not behave like you want to then you have to apologise," he said.

"What happened was a one-off for us in the last three years and we are sorry for that."