Blades cling to hope as panel go to extra time

West Ham and Sheffield United remained in limbo last night after the arbitration panel who were expected to draw a line under the long-running Carlos Tevez affair asked for more time.

Officials at Upton Park insisted no decision by the panel could affect their status as a Premier League club next season. But Bramall Lane chiefs were clinging to the hope that they could yet be re-instated as a top-flight club at West Ham's expense.

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The three-man panel, who may not deliver a verdict until the end of this month, has spent two months listening to evidence presented by Sheffield United and the Premier League.

The panel are attempting to establish if a new independent disciplinary commission should be appointed to determine whether West Ham should have been deducted points for fielding Tevez and Javier Mascherano in the knowledge they were part-owned by a third party.

They will also decide if the Premier League acted unlawfully, on April 27, by not de-registering Tevez.

Last night a statement from Upton Park said: "West Ham United are and remain a Barclays Premier League football club. There is no scope for this to be changed by the Premier League's arbitration panel and West Ham's status cannot be called into question in relation to next season.

"West Ham were not and are not a party to the arbitration and our standing as a Premier League club is not in doubt as a result of the panel's hearing."

Little should be read into news yesterday that Sheffield United could be the subject of a fresh investigation with regard to Steve Kabba.

Kabba moved from the Blades to Watford in January and, according to both official club websites, the striker was then allegedly prevented from playing against his old club at Bramall Lane in April.

However, there is no mention of an agreement that could be a clear breach of Premier League rules in the contract and no separate written agreement.

There may have been a gentlemen's agreement, but there appeared to be one between Manchester United and Everton last season with regard to Tim Howard and the Premier League took no disciplinary action.