Both will be banned for that game and possibly more European matches after incidents during Arsenal's Champions' League defeat against Lens.

Parlour's ban was expected after a sending off

Parlour's suspension is no surprise since he was sent off for violent conduct towards the end of the Group E clash.

But Dixon's comes as a shock since he appeared to be the victim of a clash with Lens' Tony Vairelles, who was sent off.

The former England full back was left in apparent agony on the Wembley turf after an angry exchange in stoppage-time

And although Dixon was not booked by referee Anders Frisk, UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body have now ruled that he started the trouble by elbowing his opponent in the back.

Vairelles and Lens coach Daniel Leclercq accused Dixon of feigning injury to get the French international striker sent off - just seconds after Arsenal winger Ray Parlour was given a red card for kicking out at Lens midfielder Cyril Rool.

It is the second time Arsenal have suffered retrospective punishment in their ill-fated Champions' League campaign.

French midfielder Emmanuel Petit was suspended from the Lens game after UEFA decided that Italian referee Piero Ceccarini should have booked him in the match against Dynamo Kiev three weeks earlier.

Bans could be extended

Dixon and Parlour could be suspended for even longer when the disciplinary body meets again in January to also ratify the complete list of players to be suspended for knockout stages of the Champions' League which begins in March.

A UEFA spokesman said: "After studying the referee's detailed report and also that of the UEFA delegate we have decided that disciplinary action must be taken even if the referee was not able to see gross unsporting conduct and was therefore unable to take any factual decision."

Arsenal, who are already out of the competition, declined to comment on the decision today.