• Premier League

West Ham could create a monster - Lambert

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says West Ham could create a "monster" if they succeed in their appeal of Andy Carroll's red card.

An FA arbitration hearing will consider the Hammers' appeal after the striker was sent off by Howard Webb i the 2-0 win over Swansea for violent conduct after an incident involving Chico Flores. The Spanish midfielder went down clutching his face, but replays appeared to show contact was unintentional.

Carroll was handed an automatic three game ban - including Saturday's trip to Villa - and Lambert believes it could cause a ripple effect on future incidents.

"If it is overruled, then you create a monster of everybody wanting to do the same," said Lambert.

The hearing will take place on Friday morning, with a three-person panel set to hear the case.

Earlier this week, West Ham co-owner David Gold said the club would be seeking legal redress after their appeal against the three-match suspension was dismissed. If the decision still stands after the hearing, Carroll will miss the Premier League matches against Aston Villa, Norwich and Southampton.

Earlier, Gold had said: "It's not ideal - the last thing I want to do is going to some kind of legal issue because I think it is a footballing issue.

"If we were mid-table, we would probably get on with it - but we are fighting to retain our Premiership status and we owe it to our fans. We owe it to ourselves.

"We are a club that understands there are rules, and we abide by them. But you have every commentator and 80 percent of the media saying it wasn't a sending-off. We are upset - we feel we have been badly treated."

Defender Flores has said he believed there was "aggression" in Carroll's challenge and accused West Ham of playing "ugly football".

Former FA compliance officer Graham Bean said he felt the Hammers were correct to challenge the FA, but echoed the Villa manager's comments by saying they may "open a vipers' nest" if the card is overturned.

Carroll were sent off for an altercation with Flores © Getty Images

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