Grant Holt Tackle On Chico Flores: FA Won't Ban Norwich Striker

Will Holt Be Another One To Get Away With Horror Tackle?

The Football Association are unlikely to retrospectively suspend Norwich City striker Grant Holt for his sickening tackle on Swansea's Chico Flores, three weeks after they failed to punish Callum McManaman for his knee-high challenge on Massadio Haïdara.

Seconds after coming on as an 80th minute substitute, Holt raked his studs down Flores' shin for what should have been a sending off, however referee Michael Oliver did not even flourish a yellow card for the striker.

The likelihood is Holt will not be punished because Oliver awarded Swansea a free-kick, ergo he saw the incident and the FA can consequently take no action.

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Holt executed a dreadful tackle on Flores

The FA will wait to receive Oliver's match report before clarifying the situation, but the furore over the McManaman-Haïdara incident has subjected the governing body's disciplinary process to fresh scrutiny.

Already in January the FA opted not to ban Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan after a two-footed stamp on Manchester City midfielder Javi Garcia during the clubs' fourth-round FA Cup tie.

Extraordinarily, Howard Webb confirmed he had seen the incident - even though he did not halt the game for a free-kick - and was not punished for his negligence with a demotion the following week.