Arsenal await FA decision on Old Trafford battle

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could be hit with a major defensive headache today if the FA come down hard on Lauren and Martin Keown for their parts in the ugly scenes at Old Trafford.

Although five Arsenal players were charged, Lauren and Keown are most at risk of receiving lengthy bans after pleading guilty to their parts in the goading of Ruud van Nistelrooy during and after Arsenal’s draw at Manchester United last month.

Lauren could be suspended for up to five games after admitting one charge of violent behaviour and two charges of improper conduct.

Keown, meanwhile, has admitted one charge of violent behaviour towards van Nistelrooy and, although another charge of improper conduct has been dropped, he still could face a three-match ban.

Arsenal’s suspension problems would be further magnified if Ashley Cole and Ray Parlour were also hit with suspensions of one or two games, especially as this could seriously affect their line-up at Leeds this weekend.

Wenger will be hoping Cole and Parlour will receive fines after admitting charges of improper conduct and Patrick Vieira – who has pleaded guilty to a similar count – is injured in any case.

While Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell could, fitness permitting, cover for Keown, Lauren would certainly be missed in defence over the coming weeks.

After all, there is little experienced cover for him at right-back, with Parlour representing one makeshift option, while Justin Hoyte, who performed admirably in that role for the youthful Carling Cup side on Tuesday night, is another possibility.

Wenger could, nevertheless, also consider attempting to recall German defender Moritz Volz from a loan spell at Fulham to provide cover, if not a direct replacement, for Lauren.

None of the five Arsenal players who have admitted charges were expected to attend today’s hearing, with a club lawyer set to plead mitigation on their behalf, stressing their guilty pleas and remorse.

That is stark contrast to the Manchester United duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, who have vowed to fight their own misconduct charges at separate personal hearings.

Arsenal, though, were hoping their stance would lead to a better outcome, while also realising they would be struggling to defend their players’ actions after such controversial scenes.

The full Arsenal charge-sheet and possible outcomes, according to the FA’s website, www.theFA.com, are:

:: Arsenal have admitted a charge of “failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players”. They face a large fine.

:: Martin Keown has admitted one charge of violent behaviour towards van Nistelrooy. While another charge of improper conduct has been dropped, he could face a three-match ban.

:: Lauren has admitted a charge of violent behaviour for “forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle”.

:: Lauren has also admitted two charges of improper conduct “for confronting van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira’s sending-off, and for kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award”.

Another charge of improper conduct relating to actions towards Giggs has been dropped, but he could still be banned for up to five games.

:: Ray Parlour admitted two charges of improper conduct “for separate confrontations with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gary Neville after the final whistle”. One of these was downgraded from a violent conduct and he faces a potential two-match ban, but possibly a fine.

:: Ashley Cole has admitted a charge of improper conduct “for his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle”. He could face a one-match ban but, more realistically, is facing a fine.

:: Patrick Vieira has admitted a charge of improper conduct for “failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off”. He could also face a one-match ban, but is injured in any case.

:: Jens Lehmann. He had faced a charge of improper conduct for “his behaviour towards match officials”, but this was being withdrawn and he will be warned to his future conduct.