Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba may face extended ban over Arsenal red card

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba may be hit with an extended ban for appearing to sarcastically applaud referee Andre Marriner after being sent off against Arsenal.

The Daily Telegraph says the FA will make a decision on whether to extend the length of Pogba's suspension beyond the usual three-game ban for a straight red card once they receive Marriner's report on 4 December.

Pogba was sent off in the 74th minute of United's 3-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium after he mistimed a tackle on Hector Bellerin and effectively stamped on the Spaniard.

The former Juventus midfielder is set to miss the top-of-the-table clash against Manchester City next weekend, along with a home game against Bournemouth and a trip to West Brom, as a result of the infraction.

However, the Sun claims United are thinking of appealing against the red card, as Pogba believes he only caught Bellerin accidentally after the Arsenal defender pulled out of a 50-50 challenge.

The Frenchman is reported to have told compatriots Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry and William Gallas after the Arsenal game that Bellerin's unorthodox attempt to block the ball with his trailing leg led to the accidental contact.

If United do end up appealing, the FA can extend the ban by an additional match if they find the appeal to be frivolous.

Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho defended Pogba after the Arsenal match and insisted that there was no malicious intent in his actions.

Mourinho also revealed that the United's club-record signing was unhappy with the reaction of his France teammate Laurent Koscielny in the aftermath of the tackle.

"I just know that Paul is frustrated and a bit disappointed with this colleague, Koscielny, with this kind of reaction," the Portuguese tactician was quoted as saying by the Observer.

"He is very frustrated because everybody knows that Paul is a clean player and it was not his intention, not at all, to be close to a red card."