Birmingham City midfielder Lee Bowyer has been hit with a three-match ban for stamping on an opposition player.
Bowyer escaped a red card for his challenge on Bacary Sagna during the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal at the weekend, but referee Peter Walton has confirmed he would have sent off the 34-year-old had he seen the incident.
The City man has now accepted a charge of violent conduct from the Football Association and will miss the Premier League clash with Blackpool, the trip to Millwall in the FA Cup and the first leg of the Carling Cup showdown with former side West Ham.
Blues boss Alex McLeish told the club’s official website: “We accept the decision and will now have to move forward into the next three games without the services of Bowyer.
“We have got a good discipline record at this club and stress to the players every week how important discipline is.”