Bassong contests red card

Newcastle have appealed against Sebastien Bassong's dismissal on Saturday.

The 22-year-old was shown a straight red card by referee Howard Webb after tangling with Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara. Bassong is set to miss the club's final game of the season at Aston Villa unless his appeal is upheld by an FA regulatory commission on Tuesday.

An FA statement said: "The FA has received a claim for wrongful dismissal from Newcastle United defender Sebastian Bassong. A regulatory commission will hear the claim on May 19."

It continued: "Bassong was shown a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity during Newcastle's match against Fulham on May 16.

Bassong was red-carded 60 minutes into a potentially pivotal game for the Magpies with his side trailing to Kamara's first-half strike.

The incident came just 10 minutes after Webb had chalked off a Mark Viduka header which would have levelled the scores and sent the Tyneside club to Villa Park sitting just outside the relegation zone rather than inside it.

Manager Alan Shearer is facing a major selection headache unless he wins his appeal, with Habib Beye struggling with a hamstring injury and strikers Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins both battling groin problems.

A draw against Villa would keep Newcastle in the top flight providing Hull lose at home to Manchester United, although they would have to win if the Tigers got a point and a victory for Phil Brown's men would ensure they finished above the Magpies regardless of what happens in the midlands.