Preston forward Milutin Osmajic faces the threat of a lengthy ban after claims that he bit Blackburn left-back Owen Beck at the end of a stormy Lancashire derby featuring two red cards.
Blackburn boss John Eustace called on the Football Association to act after the extraordinary incident at Deepdale – and his opposite number Paul Heckingbottom admitted that Osmajic is in deep trouble if the allegation is proven.
Beck, on loan from Liverpool, was sent off in the 89th minute of the goalless draw for hacking out at Duane Holmes – sparking a mass scrap involved several players.
It was in the midst of that brawl that the Wales Under-21 international claimed he was bitten, and he tried to show referee Matt Donohue a mark on his neck.
But Osmajic escaped with a yellow card as Beck saw red – following Preston forward Sam Greenwood, who had been sent off in the first half for a rash challenge on Blackburn midfielder Lewis Baker.
Preston forward Milutin Osmajic (back left) faces the threat of a lengthy ban after claims that he bit Blackburn left-back Owen Beck (left)
A melee broke out between both sets of players after the bizarre biting incident
Beck (right) tried to tell the referee he had been bitten by Osmajic (left)
Eustace said: ‘Everyone’s angry about it. It’s not a nice situation to be in. I’m sure the right people will see it and take it from there.
‘Owen’s got a big bite mark on the back of his neck. He’s been in and shown all the lads that. He’s very disappointed to be sent off, but obviously he doesn’t like to have that on the back of his neck as well. He was a bit quiet in the dressing room and a bit shaken up.
‘It’s a very serious incident. No-one likes to be bitten.’
Montenegro international Osmajic has no defence if the claim against him stands up and he is hit with a ban, Preston manager Heckingbottom said.
‘I’ve not seen it,’ Heckingbottom said. ‘I was just told when I did an interview with Sky afterwards.
Blackburn boss John Eustace claimed that his player has a 'big bite mark on the back of his neck'
‘All I can say is that there’s no place for that in the game. We know we can’t do that. Mistimed tackles and things that are part and parcel of the game, yeah, you accept them. Anything that’s not, we know how that’s dealt with.’
Blackburn missed the chance to go third in the Championship by failing to win, despite being a man up for more than half the game after Leeds loanee Greenwood’s red card.
‘Watching it back, I can see why it’s a red,’ Heckingbottom said. ‘At the time, I thought he won the ball and it was a yellow card. He probably does, but Baker’s leg gets trapped underneath it. If they’re red, that’s fine, but we just want to see consistency.’
Blackburn came closest to a goal late in the first half when Tyrhys Dolan hit the post, but Preston’s Ben Whiteman and Brad Potts were both denied by keeper Aynsley Pears late on.