Further fall-out emerges from Norwich City incident involving Kenny McLean v Middlesbrough | OneFootball

Norwich City's Kenny McLean has been hit with further charges after his red card in Sunday's game against Middlesbrough

Norwich City's Kenny McLean has been hit with further punishment after his weekend dismissal against Middlesbrough, with the midfielder having now been charged by the FA.

McLean "allegedly acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official around the 87th minute after being sent off" and now has until Friday 1st November to respond to the charge.

A high challenge on Hayden Hackney in the dying moments of Norwich's 3-3 draw against Boro on Sunday had already earned McLean a three-match suspension, but his punishment now looks set to be a whole lot worse amid these new FA charges.

Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup insisted that the club would review the footage before lodging an appeal in the immediate aftermath of the game, but the Canaries since elected to avoid making an appeal, which if unsuccessful, could've resulted in a longer ban.

That may have saved McLean in the immediacy, but amid this latest charge, he could be facing even longer on the sidelines if found guilty.

McLean could be facing up to five games out

On top of the three matches he's already got for serious foul play, a further suspension could come after the completion of his initial ban.

Southampton defender Jack Stephens was charged by the FA with a similar offence recently after a red card he received in the Premier League, and he received an extra two games on his ban, while also being fined a whopping £50,000.

It's not certain that McLean will fall to the same fate, but it would seem likely as the FA won't want to be seen wavering on a precedent they've already set.

That would be another huge blow for Norwich and Thorup, who are just starting to gather some momentum in the Championship, piecing together a seven-match unbeaten run, and missing McLean for three games will be bad enough.

Concerningly for the Canaries, they haven't won any of the last six Championship games when McLean hasn't featured, so his absence will be sorely felt in the heart of midfield.

Thorup acknowledges that McLean will be a huge loss to Norwich

Despite that abject Championship record without McLean, Thorup has admitted that losing his captain will be a crushing blow for the team and how he wants them to play.

"To lose Kenny for three games is not good for us." he told the Pink Un.

"We have to deal with it for three games, which is a big one based on that call.

"He's an important player, just the way that he can dictate the game from that central position where he can bring us up the field, the way that he can start pressing for us and get all the boys going, and so on. He's so important for us."

If Thorup was feeling miserable at a three-game ban, then the prospect of five must have him concerned, particularly given the timing of it, with Norwich in the ascendancy.

Thorup will certainly hope it doesn't come to that, but he'll now be waiting on the outcome of the FA hearing with bated breath.