EVERTON defender Sylvain Distin hopes the Football Association takes a consistent line on what he called “wrestling’’ by Stoke players at set-pieces as team-mate Marouane Fellaini braces himself for a ban.

Footage from the Premier League encounter at the Britannia Stadium is to be examined closely by the FA, with the focus on several moments where Toffees midfielder Fellaini came together with Potters skipper Ryan Shawcross in the hosts’ box.

In one incident – seemingly missed by referee Mark Halsey at the time – defender Shawcross was floored by an apparent headbutt from Fellaini, who appears likely to face retrospective action from the FA.

After the game, Everton manager David Moyes condemned his player’s actions and said the club would accept any punishment that came their way, while Fellaini apologised to Shawcross, his team-mates and Toffees fans.

Although he said he had “no excuses’’, the Belgium international did make reference in his apology to “a lot of pushing and pulling going on inside the Stoke penalty area’’, adding that he did not feel he was getting any protection from the officials.

Distin compared Saturday’s events to a penalty Fellaini gave away in the recent 1-1 draw at Manchester City – which Everton thought had been harshly awarded – to higlight what he sees as an inconsistency relating to incidents in the area.

Reflecting on the Stoke match, Distin said: “It’s wrestling, it was tough.

“It was difficult to run through, they just catch you all the time and grab you.

“I think the ref could have a better look at it. But that is football and it’s going to happen when you come to a place like Stoke.”

The series of episodes involving Fellaini and Shawcross came after Kenwyne Jones’ 52nd-minute headed equaliser for a Stoke side who were much improved in the second period from their first-half showing.

Everton, handed the lead in the 36th minute by Shawcross’ own-goal, had shaded the contest up to the interval but had squandered some decent opportunities and Moyes was fairly damning in his assessment of team’s performance.

‘‘I think if you are talking about how we played football and the style we played in, it was probably the least effective we have been this season,’’ said Moyes.