Manchester United insist that Roy Keane still has another week to decide whether he will appeal against his five-match ban and £150,000 fine from the English FA.
However, according to the club's website, the Old Trafford skipper is unlikely to take up that option.
"The deadline for Roy Keane to appeal against a five-match FA ban and £150,000 fine ends next Friday at 5 p.m.," claimed www.manutd.com yesterday.
"Media reports claimed that Friday 1st November was the deadline for an appeal, but United have confirmed that the cut-off point is actually next Friday, 8th November.
"As predicted by Sir Alex Ferguson last week, the United skipper is unlikely to lodge an appeal against the FA disrepute charges.
"If no appeal is submitted by tea time, the Irishman will be ready to return to domestic action on December 7th for the titanic Premiership clash with Arsenal.
"Keane, still recovering from hip surgery, begins his ban on November 5th missing the visit of Leicester City in the Worthington Cup and the Premiership games against Manchester City, West Ham, Newcastle and Liverpool.
"Keane could return for the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on November 13th, injuries permitting."
Red-faced Football Association officials will spend the weekend trying to sort out Keane's ban bungle.
Just 24 hours after chief executive Adam Crozier resigned amid acrimony over his autocratic role within the game's governing body, the FA confirmed on their official website that the deadline for the 31-year-old United skipper to appeal had passed with no reply.
However, they were immediately informed that Keane's legal representatives were in possession of a letter - dated October 25th - from the FA confirming the player had 14 days, from that date, to appeal, effectively November 8th.
After initially rejecting the existence of the letter, the FA have now pledged to solve the mystery, which has left them embarrassed and Keane laughing up his sleeve.
PA