ManUnited player Jonny Evans rejects rape charge at Xmas do

Manchester United ace Jonny Evans has rejected charges of having raped a girl during a Christmas bash for the team at a hotel in Manchester.

The 19-year-old Northern Ireland international protested his innocence in a series of calls to close friends.

Last night it was revealed that a male pal of the alleged victim was head-butted by a Man U player on the dance floor at the ill-fated hotel bash.

According to The Sun, it also emerged that Evans, a defender who earns 8,000-pounds a week as one of United's rising stars, was said to have been involved in a scuffle with the alleged victim's boyfriend.

The player was arrested after presenting himself to cops on Tuesday.

A pal said last night: "Jonny is genuinely bemused and astonished by the events of the last 48 hours. He is determined to clear his name as quickly as possible."

Evans jetted off with a relative on a pre-booked trip to Monaco after the party ended in the early hours of Tuesday.

But he flew home when he was informed of the allegation by the 26-year-old girl, a brunette barmaid who travelled to the 100,000-pound party from Oxfordshire.

Evans, who made his first-team debut in September and has played two Champions League matches since, spent 16 hours in custody at a Manchester police station.

His father John, 43, and United's lawyer Maurice Watkins were with him.

It is believed he was fingerprinted before being freed on bail at 2 p.m. yesterday.

He was at the family home in Sale, Greater Manchester, last night but must report back to the police station in February.

The girl has given detectives a "first account" of her version of the events at Manchester's plush Great John Street Hotel - hired by the Premier League champions.

She will be required to provide a further statement and undergo a filmed interview. (ANI)