MANCHESTER, England Manchester United's Andy Cole will miss seven weeks' domestic action due to a quirk in the fixture list after being sent off at Sunderland on Wednesday.

The England striker faces an automatic three-match ban starting on February 10 although he can still play in United's Champions League games.

Because the champions have been knocked out of the FA Cup, they have several blank weekends and Cole will not return to domestic soccer until the match against Liverpool on March 31.

The news is a blow for Cole who was eager to impress England Coach Sven Goran Eriksson ahead of the Swede's first game in charge, a friendly against Spain on February 28.

Cole has only just returned to action after surgery on his Achilles tendon in November.

(Reuter)