Williamson charged with violent conduct

22 November 2010 18:57
NEWCASTLE are likely to be without both of their first-choice central defenders when they entertain Chelsea on Sunday after the Football Association charged Mike Williamson with violent conduct.[LNB] With Fabricio Coloccini already facing a three-match ban following his dismissal in Saturday's 5-1 defeat at Bolton, the Magpies now face losing Williamson for an identical period after the FA reviewed footage of the defender's clash with Trotters striker Johan Elmander.[LNB] Williamson appeared to strike Elmander with his head midway through the first half of Saturday's game, but referee Howard Webb missed the incident and failed to penalise the Newcastle centre-half.[LNB] FA officials revisited the incident this afternoon and, for the second time in a month, one of United's leading figures faces a retrospective three-match ban.[LNB] Joey Barton is already sidelined after video evidence led to him being suspended for punching Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen.[LNB] Williamson is expected to appeal he has until 6pm tomorrow to make formal contact with the FA - and under the FA's new fast-track disciplinary procedure, any appeal must be heard before Thursday night.[LNB] If, however, he is found guilty, he will automatically miss this weekend's game with Chelsea as well as forthcoming matches against West Brom and Liverpool.[LNB] That would force Newcastle boss Chris Hughton to field an untried centre-half partnership against the current Premier League leaders, with Sol Campbell and Steven Taylor both poised to make their first league start of the season.[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo