Bennett’s decision to downgrade the punishment, after reviewing the incident on video, is strange given that Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the referees’ governing body, is keen to reduce the number of dangerous tackles — from any angle, not just from behind — this season. A tackle deemed to endanger the “health and safety” of another player should be penalised by a red card and Jenas’s appeared to fall into that category.

Although Jenas did make contact with the ball, he heavily caught Gilberto with his trailing leg on the follow-through. Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, was in no doubt. “It looked a dangerous tackle and it was unneeded,” he said. “When he took away the standing leg of my player, I didn’t like that.”

Graeme Souness, the Newcastle manager, blamed himself for the incident. “About ten seconds before the sending off, I was standing on the touchline shouting to Jermaine to be stronger in the tackle,” Souness said. “He was strong in the tackle and is very down about it. He has every right to be because it was a wrong decision.”

Jenas received sympathy — as did Bennett — from Thierry Henry, the Arsenal captain.

“Jenas is not a dirty player, he doesn’t have a bad reputation,” Henry said. “I don’t know what the new rules are but it seems harsh to me. I just feel for the ref. He had to make a split- second decision so you have to respect him as well.”

On looking at the incident again, Bennett is believed to have judged the tackle as “orange” — an imaginary card that falls in between yellow and red — and changed his decision in favour of Jenas. This was rubber-stamped by the FA, whose chief executive, Brian Barwick, praised the speed and manner in which the matter had been resolved.

Although no longer facing a three-match ban, Jenas’s future with Newcastle is clouded anyway, since he revealed that his existence in Newcastle was like “living in a goldfish bowl”. Tottenham Hotspur have had bids of £6 million and £6.5 million for the player rejected and Souness has not been tempted either by a possible £8.5 million part-exchange deal involving Robbie Keane, the Ireland and Tottenham striker.

However, Souness is aware that he will need to strengthen his attack sooner rather than later, a fact that was only emphasised by their limp display up front against Arsenal.

Freddy Shepherd, the Newcastle chairman, was expected to meet with Paul Stretford, the agent, last night to address the problem and discuss other possible transfer targets. Michael Owen, Nicolas Anelka and Mark Viduka appear to have been ruled out but the club could make a renewed attempt for Luis Boa Morte, of Fulham.