• FA claims to be certain Alli’s gesture was at Kyle Walker and not the referee • Fifa says it is gathering evidence over incident in England win

The Football Association believes it can prove Dele Alli was not directing a one-finger salute at the referee during Monday’s World Cup qualifying victory over Slovakia and will support the midfielder if contacted by Fifa about the incident.

Alli was caught on camera immediately after the French official, Clement Turpin, had waved away his appeals for a free-kick 13 minutes from time in the win at Wembley. The Tottenham Hotspur man subsequently told his manager, Gareth Southgate, that the gesture had been made towards his former club-mate, Kyle Walker, and reiterated that explanation for his actions on Twitter late on Monday night. He apologised “for any offence caused”, with Walker also suggesting on social media that he had seen the funny side of the incident.

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One long-distance camera angle of the incident appears to support Alli’s version of events. However, Fifa indicated on Tuesdaythat it was “gathering evidence” before deciding whether or not to launch an investigation. The FA has already unearthed a closer camera shot, which has not been made public, which would back up Alli’s explanation and, if requested, will make it available to world football’s governing body in an attempt to prevent Alli being sanctioned.

However, there remains the possibility Fifa could still charge the 21-year-old with acting against the spirit of the game, an offence which most likely carry a fine or, at worst, a short suspension. “Kyle and Dele were mucking about, and Dele’s made a gesture towards Kyle,” explained Southgate on Monday. “The pair of them have a strange way of communicating, but that’s what they’ve said when it’s been raised.”