Norwich City will find out early this afternoon whether or not influential skipper Grant Holt will be punished for his controversial sending-off at the weekend.

Holt faces a three-game ban after he was shown a straight red for a foul on Reading's Ian Harte – an incident which changed the game and saw City relinquish a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3.

The dismissal infuriated manager Paul Lambert, who described referee Michael Oliver's performance as 'pathetic'.

City confirmed yesterday that an official appeal had been lodged with the FA.

The club has until 1pm today to send in any material to support their appeal – ahead of an FA regulatory hearing at that time.

If the appeal fails, Holt will miss Saturday's home game against Leeds, the East Anglian derby against Ipswich a week on Sunday and the trip to Derby on December 4.

Oliver – who also sent Lambert to the stands in stoppage time – has sent off six players in 12 matches this season. He showed reds to two West Brom players in a match at Blackpool at the beginning of the month, although Pablo Ibanez's dismissal was overturned on appeal.

Lambert's claims that he got it wrong on Saturday were backed by Reading boss Brian McDermott – and by the TV pundits.

'Michael Oliver had a great view and it's clearly just a collision between two shins,' said Steve Claridge, on the BBC's Football League show. '(Harte) has not done him any favours. He's over-reacted and I think Grant Holt just stands there in stunned disbelief that he's been sent off for something he clearly feels was an injustice.

'I think everyone else feels the same way. It wasn't an over-the-top tackle. It was merely a collision of two shins.'