Ex-Premier League referee: Ryan Lowe set for extended ban after Preston North End news
Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe is set for a touchline ban, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed managers and players are often treated "unfairly" by the FA.
The FA confirmed last week (6 September) that Lowe had been hit with a charge for using "abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official".
The 43-year-old reacted angrily when he was sent off by James Bell as his Preston side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City earlier this month (3 September).
"One of the things that we've seen over the years is, to some degree, a slight unfairness in how managers and players are treated," Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
"I think, to some degree, there is a slight unfairness. It's smoothing out now with this independent panel.
"It's easier to hit the Preston North End manager because it's less public. It's a local problem whereas when you hit someone in the Premier League, it's international.
"Therefore I think that Ryan Lowe has got to put up a really good defence. If he's been charged with using insulting language, which is in itself a red card offence, that underpins that he'll get a touchline ban."
The defeat against Birmingham at Deepdale was the first time Preston had conceded a league goal all season.
They kept seven consecutive clean sheets at the beginning of the campaign before conceding in the 16th minute against the Blues.