Wilshere pleas for leniency after FA hand him two-game ban for gesture

Jack Wilshere will today contest the length of his ban for an offensive hand gesture made towards Manchester City fans in Arsenal’s 6-3 defeat last Saturday.

The midfielder has admitted a charge from the FA over the matter, but has contested the mandatory two-match ban and the case will be heard by a commission today.

Television cameras picked up Wilshere raising his middle finger in the direction of home supporters on Saturday and, although the incident was missed at the time by referee Martin Atkinson and his officials, the FA were able to retrospectively implement disciplinary proceedings against the player under a new pilot scheme for ‘not seen’ incidents in Premier League matches.

As such, an independent three-man panel agreed if the gesture had been seen during the game, it would have merited a dismissal.

However, with the precedent of a two-match suspension handed out to Blackpool winger Tom Ince when he was retrospectively charged in relation to a gesture towards a match official in a Capital One Cup tie against Preston earlier this season, Arsenal have submitted mitigating circumstances to the governing body, arguing the length of the punishment is excessive.

If the two-match suspension is upheld, then the England international would miss the showdown with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium next Monday and also the St Stephen’s Day fixture at West Ham.

In December 2011, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was suspended for one match, fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct after he made a gesture to home fans as he walked off the pitch following a 1-0 defeat at Fulham.

Meanwhile, Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo is also in hot water with the FA following a touchline fraca at Newcastle on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Italian faces a charge in connection with an incident which saw the occupants of both benches clash deep into injury-time at St James’ Park.

Magpies goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman, who was sent to the stands after the melee, has been charged with improper conduct. Both men have until next Monday to respond.

Elsewhere, the FA has fined Swansea and Hull £20,000 each following the mass confrontation which marred their Premier League clash earlier this month.

Both clubs had admitted a charge of failing to ensure players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.

There was a fraca involving Hull’s Tom Huddlestone and Yannick Sagbo and Swansea’s Ashley Williams, with Chico Flores then flinging himself to the ground feigning that Sagbo had elbowed him.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw.