Chopra got his marching orders for a late challenge against Sporting Lisbon on Sunday and boss Roy Keane's protest about the decision also saw him sent down the tunnel.

But Edwards pleaded the striker's innocence ahead of tomorrow's meeting with Vitoria de Setubal in Albufeira.

If referee Bruno Paixao includes the incidents in his report to the Portuguese FA, the English FA will then be left to decide on imposing bans on Chopra and perhaps Keane.

Edwards said: "I was out there and I've seen the rowing between the players and the sending off of the gaffer and Chopra.

"Hopefully the referee will look over the decision and make a decision that is for us rather than against us.

"If it is registered with Fifa maybe the pair of them will miss a couple of games at the start of the season.

"Who knows, the manager might be sat in the stands with one of those ear-pieces in for the Liverpool game to communicate.

"We all hope it won't come to that. Hopefully everything will get sorted.

"Chops went to tackle, he made contact from the side, but it was not a sending off."

Ten-man Sunderland still went on to beat Sporting 3-1 and Edwards played the first half of the game as he aims to build fitness for a more sucessful personal campaign.

A hamstring tear and broken leg took big chunks out of last season for him.

The Trinidad and Tobago international said: "It's always nice to kick off the campaign with a first pre-season friendly.

"It is all credit to the squad because we have beaten a top European team. It's a good start.

"We are prepared for the coming season.

"We have to be fully committed to games like this.

"We have the legs to do that and most of us were given a full 45 minutes."