LEEDS United are in danger of being hit by a £45,000 fine unless their discipline improves.

Iceland international midfielder Gylfi Einarsson was sent off in last night's 3-0 defeat at Blackburn in the Carling Cup third round for a two-footed tackle on Robbie Savage four minutes from the end. Einarsson, who had been previously booked, received a straight red and will get a three-match ban.

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell described the dismissal as "rubbish".

"I have seen the video and both players had their feet off the ground. To be fair, they both went for the ball but if you send one off, you have to send both off. I don't know if we will appeal."

Leeds have now picked up 13 bookings and a red card in their last six matches and so far this season have collected 29 bookings and two dismissals in 17 league and cup games.

Earlier in the season they were fined £15,000, with a further £45,000 suspended for the rest of the campaign when the club's disciplinary record will be further reviewed.

The club landed a suspended £60,000 fine at the end of season 2003-4 after picking up 78 bookings and five sendings-off. They were warned at the time that the fine would be imposed if their disciplinary record failed to improve.

Last season they collected 81 bookings and seven red cards but played nine more matches and attended a disciplinary hearing in Manchester when the £15,000 fine and £45,000 suspended fine were meted out. Chief offender last term was Sean Gregan who accounted for 13 of the bookings and he is close to another ban after picking up four yellow cards.

Midfielder Sean Derry missed last night's game as he was serving a one-match ban for five yellow cards and he was booked for the sixth time in the Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United last week. He returns in Saturday's league game at high-flying Reading.

Blackburn substitute Craig Bellamy set up all three of the goals for Brett Emerton, Paul Dickov and Lucas Neill as United lost in the third round to Premiership opposition for a third successive season.

Updated: 12:28 Wednesday, October 26, 2005