Play-off for title if United and Arsenal tied on all counts

It is a prospect to have Sky Sports drooling all the way to its Astra satellite. Should Arsenal and Manchester United finish the season level on points, goal difference and goals scored, the title will be decided by a play-off.

While there is still some way to go, this is not inconceivable. Should both clubs win their remaining matches, they will be tied on 83 points. At present Arsenal, who have a game in hand, are one goal ahead on goal difference and six ahead on goals scored.

The date and place for a play-off would be decided by the Premier League Board. The timing is complicated by Arsenal's presence in the FA Cup final and United's European progress. Should United fail to reach the Champions' League final on 28 May, the previous weekend – a Bank Holiday – would be probable though the Millennium Stadium, the obvious venue, is booked then for the Nationwide League play-offs. The most likely alternative is Villa Park.

If United do get to the final, 21 May is possible, though Arsenal would want longer to recover from the 17 May FA Cup final. Either way, England's trip to Durban to play South Africa on 22 May (which is to be broadcast by Sky) would be disrupted.

The Premier League Board would decide whether the title would be decided on the day, by penalties if necessary, or whether provision would be made for a replay. That would further complicate Sven Goran Eriksson's preparations for the European Championship qualifier with Slovakia on 11 June.

Arsenal hope to improve their chances of winning the title outright by appealing against Wednesday's dismissal of Sol Campbell for striking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with his elbow. The decision was made on the advice of the linesman Brian Miller and the referee, Mark Halsey, confirmed that he would review the video.

The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, said: "I have seen it again on the video and it was obviously accidental. Sol didn't mean to hurt Solskjaer and his reaction did not help. A four-game ban would be very unjust."

Campbell said: "The referee seemed receptive to what I said. It wasn't deliberate, it wasn't as if I was turning round and looking for him, to injure or maim him. I was protecting the ball and trying to clear.

"The video is not going to lie. It is going to show that it was not deliberate and that helps me. Hopefully, in his heart the referee can make the right decision from the video although I accept on the night he had to stand by his linesman.

"I wasn't trying to hurt anybody. I raised my arm but it wasn't an elbow swinging into his face to do damage. There was no clenched fist, my hand was open. I just tried to palm him off. You have to recognise the difference in our heights.

"I said to Solskjaer as I came off: 'Come on, it wasn't deliberate'. He hasn't said anything but he got up straight away and if I'd really elbowed him one he'd have struggled."

While Campbell is available for tomorrow's match at Middlesbrough, Patrick Vieira is out for that game and, possibly, for much longer. Vieira, who is awaiting the result of a scan on his knee injury, said: "I have no chance for Middlesbrough and I'm not very optimistic about the rest of the season. I hurt the knee again when I landed heavily and what I need is rest."

Wenger, who said Vieira had carried the injury for a month, added: "I don't know how long Patrick will be out for. We have to rest him until he's completely free of pain. It's inflammation from a kick, and bone bruising can last anything from two weeks to three months."