Bowyer and Mills await stiff justice

Lee Bowyer and Danny Mills face a further suspension when the Football Association receives Jeff Winter's report from Tuesday's fractious match between Leeds United and Arsenal at Highbury.

The referee is believed to have reported both players for their response to being dismissed. Bowyer will be mentioned for confronting Winter on the pitch; Mills, it is thought, for what he said to the fourth official, Andy D'Urso, in the tunnel.

The pair have already incurred a one-match ban after being dismissed for receiving two yellow cards. They are now likely to be charged with misconduct and have that penalty doubled, if found guilty.

David Elleray's report into Monday's Everton against Tottenham game, in which Gus Poyet and Gary Doherty were sent off, has yet to be received. Spurs have said they will appeal against the dismissals but, unless Elleray admits to being mistaken, which is not anticipated, the FA is more likely to add Mauricio Taricco to the list of culprits for his tackle on Thomas Gravesen than pardon Poyet and Doherty.

That it is down to Elleray to reconsider his decisions, rather than an impartial observer, has added weight to a move to create an independent appeals committee. This would involve senior representatives of the main organisations, the FA, Premiership and Football League, under a chairman, reviewing each match video and adjudicating on contentious issues.

There is concern that the body might not include anyone who has refereed at the top level and that TV pictures can be misleading or unclear. For example, although coverage of the dismissal of Doherty at Goodison suggested he was unfortunate, it was not clear-cut. Elleray, though, was perfectly placed.

However, David Dein, the influential vice chairman of both Arsenal and the FA, said: "It is not right that it is the referee's responsibility to countermand his own decisions.''

Fulham have completed the signing of the midfielder Sylvain Legwinski from Bordeaux. Fulham's manager, Jean Tigana, had the player in his 1997 championship-winning squad at Monaco. The 27 year-old has never played for the full French team, but is rated among the country's finest defensive midfielders. His arrival follows the rejection of a reported £10.5m Fulham bid for the Lyon striker Steve Marlet.

Arsenal are sending their Brazilian left-back Silvinho to the Spanish side Celta Vigo on long-term loan while a dispute over the legitimacy of his Portuguese passport is resolved. The player's stay in Galicia may extend to a year or more.