Tottenham Hotspur could find out on Monday whether Moussa Sissoko faces a possible retrospective ban for elbowing Harry Arter during the goalless draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.
The flashpoint happened in the 80th minute of the game as the midfielders tussled on the touchline. Having been floored, Arter was enraged, with replays clearly showing the 26‑year‑old was struck in the side of the face by Sissoko’s right elbow as the France midfielder looked to take a quick thrown-in.
The referee, Craig Pawson, appeared to have a clear view of the coming together but took no action and it is now a case of waiting to see if he includes a reference to it in his match report to the Football Association.
If Pawson confirms that he did see Sissoko elbow Arter and stands by his decision not to show the Spurs man a yellow or red card, then the FA can take no action. However, should state that he did not have a clear view, or missed it altogether, then Sissoko would be in line to be hit with for a three‑match ban for violent conduct.
The FA expects to receive Pawson’s report on Monday morning. If the governing body does find itself in a position to ban Sissoko, the incident will be referred to a three-person video panel who will decide whether to bring a charge.
It is unlikely that the procedure could be dealt with in time for Sissoko to be ruled out of Tuesday’s EFL Cup fourth-round tie at Liverpool. Instead, the 27-year-old would most likely miss the visit of Leicester City on Saturday, the derby with Arsenal on 6 November and the match against West Ham United 13 days later. Tottenham would have the right to appeal any ban, although that could lead to it being extended.
Speaking on Saturday after the game, which enabled Tottenham to maintain their record as the only undefeated team in the Premier League, Arter said he had accepted an apology from Sissoko for the elbow as well as his opponent’s insistence that it was an accident. “I’m happy to take that as gospel,” the Bournemouth player said.
