Watford will seek an arbitration ruling over the red card awarded to Etienne Capoue at Leicester City after the FA turned down the club’s appeal against the decision.

Capoue was sent off in the dying minutes of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium after a studs up challenge on Kelechi Iheanacho.

Replays appeared to show Capoue lose his footing before taking both ball and man in a reckless manner in the eyes of referee Graham Scott.

The club have released a strongly worded statement in which chairman Scott Duxbury outlined plans to officially challenge the FA’s rejection of their first appeal.

Duxbury said: “We are very disappointed that a majority of the Regulatory Commission has upheld the decision which nearly everyone considered to be an error.

“The only process by which we can challenge the decision is via arbitration under Rule K of the Rules of the Football Association.

“That is something which cannot be achieved before our next game this evening, but we will be striving to ensure a hearing is held before the end of the week.”

As well as tonight’s game with Premier League champions Manchester City, Capoue will miss the visit to Everton and clash with Cardiff City at home should the ban be upheld.