“The FA will say that they had a duty to investigate. Others will say they were doing the bidding of betting giants - companies that watch every booking, make billions, and face none of the fallout. Either way, the FA are left with a bloody nose.”

Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing charges following an FA investigation, West Ham have announced. The FA had been seeking a lifetime ban for the midfielder, whose case was heard by an independent regulatory commission.