For the club, it would almost certainly bring an FA charge of failing to control fans, but it seems likely now that any move to punish Everton will be delayed until the police investigation is completed.

A Merseyside police spokesman said: “It may be next week before we have finished looking through the many hours of CCTV footage, and only then will we consider releasing pictures of suspects.”

It seems BBC video footage of the match, which showed a fan hurling a missile onto the pitch and was screened on Match of the Day, is no longer part of the investigation because it is believed the supporter in question was not throwing a coin at Carroll.

It means the police have had to trawl through over 100 hours of CCTV footage from inside Goodison Park.

With the large amount of footage needing to be scrutinised from the crowd disturbances which took place over a mile from the ground after the match – 33 arrests were made – the police have prioritised the more serious public order offences.

The spokesman added: “Only after we have looked at all the CCTV will we consider releasing pictures of suspects.”

The FA would like the police to have made progress before they consider what to do with regard to charging Everton, who have all along claimed it is hard to stop one “mindless moron” from such an act.

The club have already banned a local company from sponsoring the matchball again following the touchline altercation with their former striker Wayne Rooney.

An FA spokesman said: “We have been in talks with Everton and Merseyside police and we are monitoring the situation. But we will not be rushed into any action and we are aware that it is an ongoing police investigation. But it would certainly help the situation is a culprit was discovered.”

Meanwhile Everton boss David Moyes has confirmed 18-year-old goalkeeper John Ruddy, who has agreed a pre-contract deal to join Everton in the summer, will train with the club for a couple of days during the week while continuing to play for Cambridge.

Moyes said: “He will work with us a couple of days a week but will continue playing for Cambridge. It will give us a chance to break him in but I am telling people he is for the future, he is not for just now.”

Everton are unlikely to change the side which won so well at Aston Villa last weekend for Sunday’s home game with Blackburn.

And Moyes has praised loan signing Mikel Arteta, saying: “We have been looking for a new balance and blend through the middle.

“Mikel coming in has offered us something and that balance was good on Saturday. When he arrived he had been injured and he had not played many games. And he is still not quite where his fitness should be but we are starting to see what he can do now.

“He is a good footballer and he is fitting in well.”