Middlesbrough have reacted furiously after the Football Association increased Jérémie Aliadière’s ban from three to four matches.

After rejecting as “frivolous” an appeal against Saturday’s red card for a confrontation with Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano. “Only recently Chelsea’s appeal against Michael Essien’s three-match ban was rejected but not considered frivolous,” said the chief executive, Keith Lamb.

“It appears that there is one rule for the big boys and another for the rest of us.” Stewart Downing has signed his new five-year contract at Boro.