FA uphold Carroll's red card

West Ham have failed with a challenge to the Football Association’s decision to uphold Andy Carroll’s three-match suspension, it is understood.

An independent arbitral tribunal on Friday rejected West Ham’s case, and Carroll’s ban takes immediate effect.

West Ham are unhappy that the England striker’s ban – a consequence of being sent off against Swansea last week after an altercation with defender Chico Flores – was not overturned by the FA, and took the case to tribunal in the pursuit of what manager Sam Allardyce claimed was “justice”.

However, it is understood that the independent panel, at which the FA was also represented, turned down West Ham’s submissions, and so Carroll will now serve his ban, starting at Aston Villa on Saturday.