Wayne Rooney can expect to discover on Monday whether he will face disciplinary action for his swearing into a television camera as he celebrated his hat-trick at West Ham United.

The Manchester United forward's three goals yesterday helped his team to a 4-2 victory at Upton Park, which took them seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

But, after completing his treble, the striker uttered an audible expletive into a television camera as he celebrated. The Football Association's director Sir Trevor Brooking confirmed on Sunday morning that the governing body will be investigating Rooney's behaviour.

"Tomorrow there will be a decision," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. "It was a surprise, after scoring a hat-trick, to react that way. It is something we will have to look at."

Rooney has already apologised for swearing and his outburst prompted an on-air apology from the broadcaster Sky Sports.

In a statement released by United, Rooney said: "I want to apologise for any offence that may have been caused by my goal celebration, especially any parents or children that were watching. Emotions were running high, and on reflection my heat-of-the-moment reaction was inappropriate. It was not aimed at anyone in particular."

His team-mate Rio Ferdinand sprang to the striker's defence on Twitter, saying the media should "give Wayne a break". The defender wrote: "newspapers+radio,come on give wayne a break he knows what he did was wrong and he has apologised,spoke 2 him this morning+genuinely sorry.

Ferdinand added: "Are football stadiums 'no swearing' zones?! When I take my kids to a football match I'm getting him headphones coz swearing is rife!"

There is recent precedent of disciplinary action against a swearing sportsman. The England cricketer Graeme Swann was fined 10% of his match fee in the World Cup defeat by Bangladesh in Chittagong last month – although on that occasion, the player did not direct his words deliberately towards a camera or stump mic.

In football, the disciplinary procedure in such circumstances is less obviously established, but FA rules state: "A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour."

Rooney upset England fans during last summer's World Cup when he turned to a television camera and verbally attacked them at the end of the dismal goalless draw with Algeria.

The apparent frustrations of both players and managers are under the spotlight, after the Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, launched a campaign to target "unacceptable" criticism of and behaviour towards referees.

Rooney's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has already had his say on the issue, and on Sunday the former United defender and Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce, admitted he is sometimes taken aback by his own behaviour when he sees it on television highlights. "Sometimes on a Saturday night I look at myself and say 'My God, Steve, what are you doing there?' But you become involved, and the game takes over.

"It is part and parcel of the spectacle. I don't think it is that bad. If you see players in games abroad, for me that is much worse."

Bruce believes the best way to keep emotions in check is to allow technology to help referees with tight calls. "I'm all for technology," he said. "Week in week out, we keep seeing difficult decisions cost games."