Decision goes against Manchester United but they still benefit

Steve Bennett has decided to stand by his decision to only book Steven Taylor for catching Cristiano Ronaldo with his arm but Sir Alex Ferguson is not complaining for once.

The Newcastle defender would have received a three-match ban if the referee had decided it should have been a red card and Ferguson didn’t want that to happen because the Magpies host Manchester United’s rivals Arsenal and Chelsea over that period. He said:

“The disciplinary situation does confuse you at times. No-one is really clear about it. But in actual fact we did not want the boy suspended because now he can play against Chelsea and Arsenal.”

The Spoiler doesn’t understand why Ferguson is concerned about Arsenal’s results but the sextuple-chasing boss did confirm

Wenger says some fouls should receive harsher punishments

Arsenal have had 76 players sent-off under Arsene Wenger but the Frenchman has demanded longer bans for horror tackles, claiming that the FA should create a committee who analyse red card decisions and decide whether the offender should be given a stronger punishment.

The current system is very rigid, whereby a player receive a one-match ban if sent-off for two bookable offences and a three-match ban for a straight red. An extra match is added to the ban if it’s your second red of the season but even that is open to farce.

West Ham’s Carlton Cole is now forced to sit out two games because he cannot appeal the second yellow he received against Wigan for challenging for the ball, leaving the Hammers without their top-scorer as they look to secure European qualification.

Is Wenger right that ten-match bans should be handed out for fouls like Kevin Nolan’s two-footed lunge on Victor Anichebe? Should players be allowed to appeal when unfairly dismissed for two bookings? Let us know what you think with a vote and comment below: