Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, is refusing to comment on Lee Bowyer's challenge on Bacary Sagna until he knows whether the midfielder will face Football Association action over the incident.
Television replays highlighted Bowyer, who is 34 today, allegedly stamping on the knee of Sagna as he lay on the ground during Birmingham's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday. In a separate incident, Bowyer was also shown apparently to catch Sagna down the back of his achilles near the touchline.
The referee, Peter Walton, took no action at the time and the FA will contact him to find out whether or not he saw the incidents involving Bowyer at St Andrew's. If Walton confirms he did not see what occurred, then the FA has the power to pursue the matter and to decide whether or not to charge Bowyer with violent conduct.
"What is the situation with Bowyer? It is pending. There is nothing I can say," McLeish said. "It is not appropriate for me to comment on it when nothing has been done by the FA and the referee is looking at it again. I've seen the incident but I can't comment on it. It is inappropriate. It is all hypothetical. We need to wait and see what the verdict is."
McLeish did confirm Bowyer would travel with the squad to Blackpool for tomorrow's league meeting at Bloomfield Road. But, depending if and how quickly the FA takes any action, the former West Ham and Newcastle player could be suspended for the fixture if he accepts any charge made against him.