Leeds United's Patrick Bamford has been charged with 'successful deception of a match official' after his actions in a clash with Aston Villa on Sunday.
After simulating being hit in the face by Anwar El Ghazi, the Aston Villa player was sent off; as a result of today's charge, that card has now been overturned.
Bamford, on the other hand, looks set to be handed a two-match ban which would see him miss the beginning of the promotion play-offs.
A statement released by the FA today said:
Anwar El Ghazi will be available for Aston Villa’s next three matches after a claim of wrongful dismissal was upheld by an Independent Regulatory Commission. The forward was sent off for violent conduct during the EFL Championship fixture against Leeds United on Sunday [28/04/2019].
Patrick Bamford has subsequently been charged with ‘successful deception of a match official’. It is alleged the Leeds United player’s behaviour in the 72nd minute of the fixture, which involved committing a clear act of simulation that led to Anwar El Ghazi being dismissed, amounts to improper conduct. The forward has until 18:00 on Wednesday [01/05/2019] to respond to the charge.
Perceived striker shortages has meant Bamford's name has been mentioned as a possible option for Mick McCarthy in the Irish international set-up.
Earlier this week, the Irish manager told Balls.ie that there had been no recent developments regarding Bamford's eligibility, the striker opting to focus on his club football instead.
[He] told me he wanted to concentrate on his football so I let him do that and he wanted to finish his season because he'd been injured. Let him concentrate on that. He has not got a chance of being involved in the summer, because he hasn't got his passport or his papers or whatever it takes to do it.
So the only chance he's got is if he tells me at the end of the season and it could be September, October, November.
I think I've reached plenty. I've left it with him to decide. If he wants to do it then he can.
