Referee Steve Dunn has handed Liverpool midfielder El-Hadji Diouf a reprieve by admitting he was wrong to send him off during the 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Diouf was sent off for a second bookable offence by Dunn and, with Liverpool having no automatic right of appeal, the Senegal international was looking at a one-match ban.
But Dunn agreed to review the incident on video and decided that he should not have handed him a second yellow card, awarded after Diouf tangled with Adrian Mutu during the closing stages of the match.
The Football Association issued a statement which read: "Following the Premier League game between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, the FA has received correspondence from the match referee, Steve Dunn.
"Liverpool's El-Hadji Diouf was dismissed from the field of play for receiving a second yellow card. However, having viewed the incident relating to the second caution on video, Mr Dunn has advised the FA that he was incorrect to send the player from the field of play.
"Therefore, the sending off has been reduced to a caution for the earlier offence of `tripping', and the player will not have to serve any suspension."
PA