United wait for Keane defence

PERPLEXED Manchester United officials will wait for documentation to arrive from UEFA before deciding what defence to mount on behalf of skipper Roy Keane.

United learned yesterday that European football’s governing body have taken the bizarre decision to appeal against their own punishment after originally confirming Keane would serve only a one-match suspension for his dismissal in the first leg of the Champions League tie with Porto a fortnight ago.

The news will not have gone down well with Alex Ferguson, who remains steadfast in his belief that veteran keeper Vitor Baia made the most of the incident that saw Keane red carded for the 11th time in his United career.

Ferguson has previously indicated he deemed the matter to be ‘trivial’ and declared the one match suspension fair.

However, the Scot knows that if the appeal hearing on March 19, ironically the same day as the final verdict on Rio Ferdinand’s appeal against his eight-month suspension for a missed drugs test is due to be declared, goes against him, Keane will, at best, miss United’s next two games in European competition.