Prutton faces a seven-match ban

The Southampton midfielder David Prutton faces a lengthy suspension after admitting two charges of improper conduct following his reaction against the referee Alan Wiley at St Mary's last weekend.

The Southampton midfielder David Prutton faces a lengthy suspension after admitting two charges of improper conduct following his reaction against the referee Alan Wiley at St Mary's last weekend.

The 23-year-old was dismissed by Wiley for two bookable offences. He was also handed two FA charges on Monday following his remonstrations - during which he appeared to push Wiley on at least one occasion - and his failure to leave the pitch quickly.

An FA statement said: "David Prutton has admitted two charges of improper conduct in relation to an incident following his sending-off against Arsenal on 26 February."

Prutton must plead for leniency at today's disciplinary commission hearing, when he can expect a suspension of seven matches.

Steve Wigley has returned to Southampton as director of youth football two months after he was sacked as head coach.

An Everton spokesman said that James Beattie had returned to trainingyesterday after being involved in an incident in Birmingham at the weekend. The £6m signing from Southampton was injured at the city's Arcadian Centre in the early hours of Sunday after a night out with friends following Everton's 3-1 win over Aston Villa and was the victim of an "unprovoked assault", according to his club.

Beattie, serving a three-match ban for butting Chelsea's William Gallas, was allegedly attacked by two men outside a noodle bar. West Midlands Police said they had not received a report of the incident.