Arsenal's Alexander Hleb faces being banned for the rest
of the season if the FA call for video evidence of his clash with
Graham Murty.
Television replays appeared to show the Belarus star
slapping Reading skipper Murty in the face in the second half of
Arsenal's 2-0 win on Saturday and although it was missed by referee
Peter Walton and his assistants, it was spotlighted on BBC TV's
'Match of the Day'.
If found guilty of violent conduct Hleb would face a three-match
ban - with Arsenal now only left with games against Derby, Everton
and Sunderland to complete their season.
An FA spokesman said: "The first thing is to wait and see the
referee's report but that is not necessarily the end of the
matter."
The FA can call for video evidence from any match if they deem
it necessary to apply justice to a clear offence which a referee
has failed to punish.
The circumstances are certainly not without precedent as far as
Arsenal are concerned.
Nearly 20 years ago their midfielder Paul Davis was banned for
nine matches after TV footage showed him retaliating to verbal
abuse with an off-the-ball punch which broke a Southampton player's
jaw during a match.
Although Hleb's slap appeared to be only a comparatively minor
contact, Arsenal's former striker Jeremie Aliadiere was recently
banned for four matches after appealing against a red card while
playing for Middlesbrough having been sent off following a spat
with Liverpool's Javier Mascherano.
Alan Shearer, former England striker and BBC TV soccer pundit
recalled the Aliadiere case in referring to Hleb and said: "I think
the FA have to do something about this one, too."
Reading manager Steve Coppell, who saw his side dragged deeper
into the relegation fight with a 2-0 defeat at The Emirates, admits
he does not understand the system by which players can be suspended
for offences the referee has missed.
He said: "It is clear for all to see on the tape. I don't think,
in these circumstances, that anyone can say 'please, FA, look at
it.' I don't know what the procedure is.
"It seems some mystery man phones in and says 'have a look at
this piece of tape.'and then three other mystery men men make a
decision on whether further action is required.
"The whole situation is unexplainable but maybe someone sitting
in a front room will do something about it."
