Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira is hoping to be cleared to feature in the Gunners' intensifying push for a Champions League place, despite becoming embroiled in more controversy at Vicarage Road. Vieira has already missed seven Premiership games this season due to his sending-off at West Ham in October, when he spat at Neil Ruddock, and reaching five bookings, while he has also been banned for one European game.
The midfielder had vowed to clean up his act, yet he again found himself in the spotlight at Vicarage Road as he clashed with Heidar Helguson with just seconds remaining of the Gunners' action-packed 3-2 win at Watford. Television replays were unclear, yet the Hornets seemed convinced that Helguson had been head-butted by the Frenchman, while Arsenal effectively insisted that the Watford striker had instead been guilty of amateur dramatics.
Referee Rob Harris, who has courted more than his own fair share of controversy this season in Sunderland's FA Cup tie against Tranmere, decided to book Vieira and not send him off. That took Vieira tally of yellow cards for the season to 10, but, although final confirmation is being awaited from the Football Association, it appears he has now missed the cut-off point at which that would have automatically led to a two-game ban this season.
