Kamil Glik pinches Kyle Walker's neck & sparks mass scuffle in WCQ

England and Poland players were dragged into a furious scuffle after the half-time whistle was blown in their World Cup qualifier - with the flashpoint seemingly caused by Kamil Glik grabbing Kyle Walker's throat.

Referee Daniel Siebert signalled for the interval after 45 minutes of feisty and full-blooded action in Warsaw, but both teams then suddenly met in the middle of the pitch in a grim altercation.

Both Glik and Harry Maguire was shown yellow cards after the row, and footage quickly surfaced showing the former bizarrely pinching Walker's neck at a free-kick, leading to the reaction from his team-mates.

The two players were seen getting involved in a heated exchange just after the start of the break, with both aiming gestures at each other and clearly irked.

Broadcast cameras panned to the crowd initially, but quickly flashed back on to the pitch to show the brawl, with more and more stars piling in to intervene.

Three Lions captain Harry Kane looked to pull away several of his colleagues, and the officials were eventually able to lower tensions and restore some control.

Glik, despite his grab on Walker, was guided towards the tunnel first, before the referee ordered him back to show him the yellow card.

After the booking was brandished to both men, Maguire was left to walk away, apparently bemused as to why he had also gone into the book.

Social media users reacted to the incident with anger, and praised Walker for not responding to the provocation.

'Kyle Walker did ever so well not to respond to the bully Glik, pulling the skin under his chin,' one account said.

A second wrote: 'Big up @kylewalker2 for not taking the bait when Glik tried to goad him by gripping his throat just before half time.

'I'm sure if it was the other way round he would have gone down holding his face. Pity VAR didn't get involved or maybe FIFA can act?'

And a third added: 'Why is Glik, number 15 of Poland so aggressive? Was it necessary to pinch Kyle Walker's skin on his throat?

'Makes me mad that Maguire got a yellow card when the ref blind sighted Glik.'

Before the coming together between the teams, no Poland players were booked despite the heated nature of the tie.

Kalvin Phillips, however, picked up a yellow for an innocuous challenge in midfield, while Kamil Jozwiak avoided punishment for bringing down Jack Grealish.

At half-time, pundit Roy Keane warned England to avoid being dragged into Poland's no holds barred style of play.

They've been really aggressive,' he said on ITV. 'Plenty of tackling, plenty of fouls, the most I've seen for a long time in an international match.

'England, of course, then have to be careful not to be drawn into that. I'm not saying you back down, but just keep your focus on the game.

'That would keep the fans onside, as long as they stay in the game. England just have to be careful with that side of it.'