28-01-2010, 08:29 AM
Bookmakers believe Rio Ferdinand's decision to appeal against a Football Association charge of violent conduct will backfire and go 4/7 he ends up receiving a four-match ban.
The 31-year-old got his plea in early in order to be able to play in Manchester United's Carling Cup semi-final second leg against neighbours City.
However, the move is a calculated risk because if the FA disciplinary panel decide the appeal is "frivolous", they have the power to impose a greater sanction than the normal three-match suspension for such incidents.
Ferdinand caught striker Craig Fagan in the face with his arm during the second-half of United's 4-0 victory over Hull City on Saturday.
As the ball was not even in the penalty area at the time and referee Steve Bennett did not see the incident, Ferdinand's only defence could be that he acted instinctively in response to foul play from Fagan.
Ferdinand is 6/1 to end up missing two games or less, the same price to sit out exactly three matches and 5/2 for five or more.
Source: ITV.com
Might be a good gamble, though. United at Wembley and Evans, Vidic and Brown fit again. Can we afford to lose Rio for 4 games? Maybe. SAF said last night, though, that he felt that had just cause to appeal!
The 31-year-old got his plea in early in order to be able to play in Manchester United's Carling Cup semi-final second leg against neighbours City.
However, the move is a calculated risk because if the FA disciplinary panel decide the appeal is "frivolous", they have the power to impose a greater sanction than the normal three-match suspension for such incidents.
Ferdinand caught striker Craig Fagan in the face with his arm during the second-half of United's 4-0 victory over Hull City on Saturday.
As the ball was not even in the penalty area at the time and referee Steve Bennett did not see the incident, Ferdinand's only defence could be that he acted instinctively in response to foul play from Fagan.
Ferdinand is 6/1 to end up missing two games or less, the same price to sit out exactly three matches and 5/2 for five or more.
Source: ITV.com
Might be a good gamble, though. United at Wembley and Evans, Vidic and Brown fit again. Can we afford to lose Rio for 4 games? Maybe. SAF said last night, though, that he felt that had just cause to appeal!