Newcastle United have allegedly threatened Richard Keys with legal action after the broadcaster claimed that Hatem Ben Arfa assaulted manager Alan Pardew.

The Magpies have lodged a complaint against the TV presenter with the Premier League and demanded that he issue an apology, the Daily Mail reports.

"Heard Ben Arfa chinned Pardew. If that's the case one or the other will have to go," Keys tweeted following Newcastle's victory over Cardiff City on May 3.

Newcastle have denied that the incident took place, and are said to have contacted Keys's employer beIn Sport to insist he retracts his claims.

Although the offending tweet has since been deleted, the club are believed to have reserved the right to sue should he fail to comply.

Keys became embroiled in controversy in 2011 when he and colleague Andy Gray were caught making derogatory remarks about assistant referee Sian Massey, an incident which brought an end to their Sky careers.