The future of Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat looks clouded after his automatic one-match suspension was referred to the Disciplinary Committee.

Muscat was shown a straight red card for a horror challenge on Melbourne Heart youngster Adrian Zahra in Saturday night's Melbourne derby at Etihad Stadium.

The tackled left Zahra with damaged ligaments in his knee, sidelining him for the remainder of the A-League season.

And it is likely that Muscat will get the same fate with the fact he will get at least five matches after the independent Match Review Panel referred his case to the Disciplinary Committee, which under MRP policy, means they feel his suspension should be at least a further four matches to the initial one for the red card.

The 37-year old veteran of Australian football admitted after the incident that perhaps the game had passed him by indicating that a long-term suspension may force him to hang up his boots.