I telephoned the FA to check whether Paddy's yellow card picked up in the Community Shield counted towards domestic suspension, and they confirmed that it did and that Paddy would be suspended for the United game because he's picked up four yellow cards in the Premiership + one in the Community Shield.

But they've now called me back to say that they made a mistake and that bookings in the Community Shield don't in fact count towards Premiership suspensions. So he will play, (although I can't guarantee that the FA won't ring me back and change their minds)

Paddy's off the hook then, but Ashley Cole is in trouble. Paul Durkin has seen fit to report Cole for "foul and abusive language" following the Saints game. The FA are investigating and we can expect him to be handed a similiar punishment (ie fine and suspension) to the one which Paddy received after his confrontation with Andy "the personality" D'Urso.