The FA has rejected Rodrigo Bentacur’s appeal against his seven-match suspension, meaning he is still ineligible for Sunday’s Premier League match against Liverpool.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was handed the punishment after racist comments he made about team-mate Heung-Min Son during a TV interview in June. Bentancur denied the charge but was fined £100,000 and had to attend a mandatory face-to-face education programme.

While Spurs accepted the FA’s decision, they appealed against the length of the ban, which they claimed was ‘severe’. But the FA have upheld the decision, as they confirmed in a statement on Tuesday morning.

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“An independent Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.

"An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a seven-match suspension on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.

“This appeal was dismissed following a hearing, and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the Regulatory Commission. The Appeal Board’s written reasons for its decision will be published in due course.”

Bentancur has served five games of the seven-match suspension but, had it been reduced, could have been available to face Liverpool in the capital this weekend. With Spurs facing Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, the clash against Arne Slot’s side is the seventh match in that sequence, meaning he will be back next week regardless.

Bentancur did immediately apologize for his comments over the summer. Son accepted the apology and has since insisted the players and remain ‘brothers’.

Without Bentancur in the side, Ange Postecoglou has tended to select Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma at the base of midfield, although Lucas Bergvall replaced the latter in Sunday’s 5-0 win over Southampton due to a one-match ban he was serving. James Maddison has also been a regular pick in the middle for Spurs, and could be selected at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend.

The London club heads into the game in mixed form. Having beaten Aston Villa and Manchester City convincingly since the start of November, and scored five in the first half at Southampton. But Spurs have also put in several disappointing performances.

They lost at home to Ipswich Town last month and were beaten by Bournemouth and Chelsea prior to the Southampton victory on Sunday.