West Ham United are considering taking legal action in order to have Andy Carroll's three-match suspension rescinded.
The Hammers striker was sent off in the second half of his side's 2-0 win over Swansea City on Saturday for catching Chico Flores in the face with a trailing arm.
The east London club appealed the sanction but an independent panel turned it down, meaning the ban would stand.
But the relegation-threatened West Ham are desperate to have the former Newcastle United and Liverpool man on the park this weekend and for the two games following.
It is believed that Sam Allardyce's club want the Football Association to approve an arbitration hearing by Friday or they will seek a personal hearing with the High Court, an unprecedented action in English football.
