West Ham are tonight being reported as being set to launch a new bid to get Andy Carroll reinstated for their match at Aston Villa on Saturday.

According to the Mail Online “a letter has been sent by the club to the Football Association requesting they reconsider their decision to uphold the England striker’s red card for flailing an arm at Chico Flores.”

West Ham  believe have not followed the rules of their appeals process on two specific counts and insist the red card handed out by Howard Webb should be overturned on that basis.

If the FA continue to back Webb’s decision the Irons will take their battle a step further and push for an arbitration panel to hear their case tomorrow, in time for the crunch game at Villa Park.

Were the governing body to show unwillingness then West Ham will go to the High Court seeking an injunction ordering Carroll’s suspension be lifted until an arbitration panel can be set up, freeing him for the match.

Renowned barrister Lord Pannick QC,has been enlisted by the club for expert guidance.

The FA are understood to stand by their process to date and their statement on Tuesday which read: ‘As stated in the Rules and Regulations of The FA, an Independent Regulatory Commission must apply the test of whether the decision to dismiss a player was ‘an obvious error’.

Carlton Cole should play in Carroll’s absence if West Ham’s bid fails, while Marco Borriello, on loan from Roma, is likely to feature after playing a behind-closed-doors friendly against Southend on Tuesday.