CONOR SAMMON LOOKS set to lead the line for Wigan at Stoke on Saturday afternoon after a three-match ban for violent conduct was overturned on appeal today.
The Wigan striker was dismissed during the 5-0 defeat to Manchester United on St Stephen’s Day when referee Phil Dowd deemed a rather innocuous clash with Michael Carrick to be worthy of a straight red card.
A baffled Sammon appealed the decision straight away and the FA confirmed today that the sending off and subsequent suspension had been rescinded on review.
Latics manager Roberto Martinez this afternoon welcomed the news which sees the former UCD striker available for Wigan’s Premier League meeting against Sunderland and FA Cup tie at Swindon as well as this weekend’s trip to the Brittania.
“We thank the panel for their decision, which is the correct one,” Martinez told the club website. “We now need to draw a line under the matter and move on.”
I am delighted to have Conor available for the next three matches. It would have been really unfair for him to share the frustrating feeling that he had on Monday for another three games after doing nothing wrong.
The FA upheld the three-match ban handed down to Wolves’ Nenad Milijas following his sending off against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Milijas caught Mikel Arteta with a sliding tackle and, despite protests that he had won the ball cleanly, was given his marching orders by Stuart Atwell in the 75th minute of the 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
The Serbian midfielder must now serve a three-game suspension and will miss the Premier League fixtures against Bolton and Chelsea and the FA Cup third round tie against Birmingham.
