Paintsil to face possible ban

John Paintsil, Fulham's new Ghanaian defender, could be facing a three-match ban if the Football Association look at television footage of his horror tackle on Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue during the Gunners' shock 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage.

Referee Martin Atkinson did not impose any punishment other than a free-kick for what looked, on video, an over-the-top foul, but BBC Match of the Day pundits Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson agreed it looked like a challenge worthy of a red card.

The FA, aware of the game's tarnished image, having launched their new 'Respect' programme, could show the film to Atkinson, whose view of the incident may have been obscured.

The FA could ask him if, on reflection, he feels it was a sending-off offence - which could lead to a charge.

Making his home debut as the makeweight in a £6.3million move which brought him and striker Bobby Zamora from West Ham in the summer, Pantsil's challenge spoiled an otherwise exemplary personal display in a rock-solid Fulham defence which frustrated Arsenal during a one-way second half that followed the Gunners miserable performance before the interval.

Boss Arsene Wenger, who had no public complaint about the Pantsil foul, was left scratching his head for answers to his team's malaise and surely contemplating the wisdom of his words last week when he insisted Arsenal were good enough to win the Premier League title.