LONDON (AP) — Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel will serve a three-match ban after the Football Association rejected his appeal against the red card he got against Manchester United.

Mikel was sent off in the first half of Sunday's 2-0 loss at Old Trafford for what referee Mike Dean said was a two-footed challenge on Patrice Evra.

Chelsea appealed, saying the challenge was not two-footed, but the FA opted yesterday to back Dean's decision. Video evidence showed that Mikel played the ball and Blues' manager Avram Grant described the referee's decision as "strange" after the game.

Grant also lamented the fact that the referee allowed a United goal scored well into the third minute of two minutes of first-half stoppage time and questioned a controversial penalty award to the home side in the dying minutes.

Chelsea captain John Terry could face an FA charge for trying to take the red card from Dean when he brandished it at Mikel.

Television footage showed Terry grabbing at the card and British newspapers said Dean had mentioned the incident in his match report to the FA.

Terry could be fined or even banned over the incident.

Meanwhile, Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre could return from a knee injury earlier than expected.

Silvestre was hurt on September 15 in United's 1-0 win over Everton in the Premier League. He caught his studs in the turf and fell awkwardly, twisting his knee. United initially thought Silvestre would be out for the rest of the season, but manager Alex Ferguson said he could be back by March.

"We had him operated on in France last week and it all went well," Ferguson said. "It was pleasing to see there was no further damage other than the cruciate ligament. That's a big bonus because sometimes there can be cartilage problems that also come along."