Norwich City were today waiting to find out the consequences of their latest red card controversy after defender Leon Barnett’s dismissal in the 2-0 home defeat by Portsmouth.

Barnett threw the ball at referee Simon Hooper after being shown a second yellow card, then red, for bringing down David Nugent to concede a stoppage-time penalty.

The centre-half is definitely banned for one match, next Saturday’s Championship trip to Coventry, where he was on loan last season, but the Canaries will be anxiously waiting to see if further action is taken when the Wiltshire official submits his report to the FA.

Barnett, whose permanent switch to Carrow Road from West Bromwich Albion was confirmed on Friday, apologised to Mr Hooper and manager Paul Lambert after the match for what he admitted was an “out of character” reaction.

He said: “I went in straightaway after the game to the referee and the gaffer to say sorry for my actions. I knew immediately that what I did was wrong. What happened was out of character for me and I wanted to apologise for doing what I did.”

Barnett was already guaranteed a one-match ban because his first booking against Pompey, for a foul on Dave Kitson, was his fifth of the season. Getting sent off for a second yellow effectively replaces that ban but still leaves him on four yellows, one away from another ban, when he returns to action.

The Canaries have had a spate of disciplinary problems in recent weeks with Andrew Crofts banned for one match after being shown two yellow cards against Burnley, Grant Holt sent off at Reading – a red card that was later rescinded – and manager Paul Lambert given a two-match touchline ban after admitting a charge of improper conduct at Reading.

Barnett’s unhappy afternoon came just 24 hours after it was announced that his loan deal with the Canaries would become a permanent move in January on a 3�-year contract.

City’s defeat, courtesy of a Kitson goal and a Greg Halford penalty, meant they slipped two places to sixth in the Championship table.