Bowyer loses red card appeal

NEWCASTLE midfielder Lee Bowyer has lost his appeal against his red card at Liverpool on St Stephen’s Day and will now serve a three-match ban.

The 28-year-old received a straight red for a challenge on Xabi Alonso, and although he launched an appeal which would have made him available for Wednesday’s postponed clash with Charlton, his case was rejected yesterday.

Bowyer will miss the trip to Tottenham tomorrow, the derby clash with Middlesbrough two days later and the FA Cup tie against Mansfield.

Portsmouth’s Lomana LuaLua has been charged with improper conduct for comments he made about referee Uriah Rennie after their defeat by Tottenham on December 12.

The striker laid into Rennie after he awarded a controversial penalty with five minutes to go with the score at 1-1. Mido scored from the spot after Rennie adjudged Gary O’Neil, who was in the defensive wall for Andy Reid’s free-kick, had deliberately handled the ball. Jermain Defoe scored a late third.

“It does not help when the referee is playing for the other team,” said LuaLua afterwards.