Both charges relate to his clash with Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland in April 2000.

The FA launched its initial investigation into the incident when Keane admitted in his autobiography he had deliberately embarked on a revenge tackle on Haaland.

An FA statement on its official website read: "The first charge follows the challenge itself on Haaland, which is now alleged to have been improperly motivated, with an apparent element of revenge.

"The second charge relates to Roy Keane allegedly publishing for financial profit or reward, an account in his autobiography, in which he speaks of a desire to exact revenge on Haaland, therefore bringing the game into disrepute."

He faces a four-match ban if the charges are upheld and has 14 days to respond to the FA on the matter.

The Irish midfielder, who will probably be suspended for three matches after being sent-off last Saturday, has publicly stated he has no regrets over the Haaland challenge.

He insisted in a recent interview he was "not losing any sleep" over any possible FA charge.

He said: "Even in the dressing room afterwards I had no remorse. My attitude was, 'What goes around comes around'. He got his just rewards. My attitude is an eye for an eye."

Asked if he would do the same thing again now, Keane paused before replying: "Probably. Yeah."

Keane's defence is likely to rely on claiming that ghost writer Eamonn Dunphy inaccurately paraphrased his comments.

But Professional Footballers's Association chief executive Gordon Taylor insisted Keane had left himself "wide open" to punishment following the publication of his "ill-advised" book.

Haaland and Manchester City are currently considering taking legal action over the comments in the book.

McAteer blow

The disrepute charges are the latest controversy since the publication of the 31-year-old's book.

On Saturday, he was sent off for elbowing Sunderland's Jason McAteer in the head.

And he could incur further FA charges relating to that incident with a three-match ban the most likely outcome.

Keane is currently out of action for at least six weeks after undergoing a hip operation and part or all of the ban could be served out while on the sidelines.