Harry Maguire will miss Manchester United’s match at Chelsea with his Football Association (FA) misconduct charge set to be upheld.
The England central defender is being given a one-game ban and a fine after the FA ruled he swore at fourth official Matt Donohue following his red card at Bournemouth.
Maguire, 33, had been dismissed by referee Stuart Atwell for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity on Evanilson, which saw him sit out Monday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Leeds United.
The FA charged Maguire on April 1: “It is alleged that the defender acted in an improper manner and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards the fourth official following his dismissal.”
Maguire’s absence is compounded by Lisandro Martinez’s expected suspension after his sending off against Leeds.
The 28-year-old Argentina international was dismissed after VAR John Brooks called referee Paul Tierney to the screen for a hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
United are appealing the ban on the grounds Martinez did not pull with force and was challenging for the ball, but the PGMO are confident the rulebook was applied correctly.
Referees told clubs at the start of the season hair pulling would be seen as violent conduct.
There is a chance Martinez could get his standard three-game ban reduced, but this is viewed as unlikely.
United declined to comment.
Earlier this season Everton defender Michael Keane was adjudged to have pulled on the braided hair of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tolu Arokodare during a 1-1 draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Howard Webb, head of PGMO, speaking on a recent episode of Mic’d Up — the in-house TV programme that reviews notable refereeing decisions in the Premier League — explained the stance on hair pulling.
Webb said: “For some years now, actions where players have pulled an opponent’s hair is deemed as violent conduct.
“It is in the guidance we give to clubs before the season starts, the book that the Premier League produces, that grabbing someone’s hair with force is deemed as violent conduct and a player will be sent off.”
The rulings would mean head coach Michael Carrick will likely be pushed into fielding a youthful centre-back partnership at Stamford Bridge of Leny Yoro, 20, and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven. Matthijs de Ligt is not ready for a return from his back injury.
United are aiming to take a major step towards Champions League qualification by winning at Chelsea. But defeat for Carrick’s team would see the gap between the sides, currently in third and sixth, reduced to four points.