Everton defender Sylvain Distin hopes the Football Association takes a consistent line on what he called “wrestling” by Stoke players at set-pieces as team-mate Marouane Fellaini braces himself for a ban.

Footage from the Premier League encounter at the Britannia Stadium is set to be examined closely by the FA, with the focus on several moments where Everton midfielder Fellaini came together with Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross in the hosts’ box.

In one incident – seemingly missed by referee Mark Halsey – defender Shawcross was floored by an apparent headbutt from Fellaini, who appears likely to face retrospective action from the FA.

After the game, Everton manager David Moyes condemned his player’s actions and said the club would accept any punishment that came their way, while Fellaini apologised to Shawcross, his team-mates and Everton fans.

Although he said he had “no excuses”, the Belgium international did make reference in his apology to “a lot of pushing and pulling going on inside the Stoke penalty area”, adding that he did not feel he was getting any protection from the officials.

Distin, who believes comparing Saturday’s events to a penalty Fellaini gave away in the recent 1-1 draw at Manchester City – which Everton thought had been harshly awarded – shows an inconsistency relating to incidents in the area. Reflecting on the Stoke match, Distin told evertontv: “It’s wrestling, it was tough. It was difficult to run through, they just catch you all the time and grab you. But that is football and it’s going to happen when you come to a place like Stoke. There is just no consistency. That is the problem as a player.”

Former Premier League forward Peter Ndlovu was in a Bulawayo hospital with serious injuries last night after a car crash which claimed the life of his brother and fellow Zimbabwe footballer Adam.

Ndlovu’s former agent Winston Makamure told BBC: “Peter is now out of danger. He is now conscious and is communicating.”