“The FA will say that they had a duty to investigate. Others will say they were doing the bidding of betting giants - companies that watch every booking, make billions, and face none of the fallout. Either way, the FA are left with a bloody nose.”

Brazil forward Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of alleged spot fixing after being accused of deliberately receiving yellow cards to influence betting markets.

West Ham United's Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of four alleged breaches of betting rules after an independent Regulatory Commission hearing, the Football Association said on Thursday.