Man United's Nicky Butt arrested after an alleged domestic incident

Manchester United are facing huge embarrassment after head of academy Nicky Butt was arrested.

Sportsmail understands the 44–year-old was held by police on Tuesday afternoon, hours before United take on Barcelona in their crunch Champions League quarter-final second leg, after an alleged domestic incident. Butt remained in custody early this evening.

United and Greater Manchester Police both declined to comment.

However, the news comes on a terrible day for the famed Class of ’92 – after fellow member Paul Scholes was charged by the Football Association with allegedly breaking their rules on betting.

Butt, who made 387 appearances for the club between 1992 and 2004, was appointed head of academy in 2016 and has been credited with the emergence of the likes of Marcus Rashford.

He is viewed as a highly-regarded former professional who, in his coveted role, is charged with setting an example for the Premier League giants’ young talent.

The news will come as an unwelcome distraction for United, who will kick off at the Nou Camp shortly.

It is understood that officials at the club, who were focussing on a hugely important night for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his men in Catalonia, have been trying to establish details of what had taken place.

Butt won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a UEFA Champions League, after making his debut for United in 1992. He also played for Newcastle United and Birmingham City and has 39 England caps. Butt, born and raised in the Manchester suburb of Gorton, married Shelley Barlow in 2008. The pair have two children.