Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been banned for four matches after his second dismissal for violent conduct this season.
Aguero, 28, was sent off for a high and late challenge on Chelsea defender David Luiz in Saturday’s 3-1 home loss.
The Argentina forward’s previous dismissal was in August, when he received a retrospective red card for a challenge on West Ham’s Winston Reid.
He will miss City’s games against Leicester, Watford, Arsenal and Hull.
What happened?
City midfielder Fernandinho was also sent off after he clashed with Cesc Fabregas in the scuffle that followed Aguero’s lunge. He will serve a three-match ban.
Several players from both sides ran to the scene of the foul, where Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah then pushed Aguero to the ground.
As City striker Kelechi Iheanacho tried to confront Chalobah, Fabregas held him back from behind. Fernandinho appeared to then try to separate the Spaniard from his team-mate by dragging him away.
After Fabregas appeared to slap him, Fernandinho grabbed the Chelsea midfielder by the throat and continued to push him until he tumbled backwards over the advertising boards.
What was said?
After the game, City manager Pep Guardiola apologised for his players’ behaviour but said: “I don’t think Aguero’s challenge is intentional.”
City defender John Stones said the referee’s decision not to punish any Chelsea players was unfair.
“In those situations you go in there and back your team-mates up, both teams do that,” he told BBC Sport.
“I don’t want to say too much and get in trouble for saying things but I think we have ended up on the bad side of what happened.
“I know Sergio’s tackle was in no way good, but what happened after – when a few of their boys came in – I didn’t think it was fairly balanced.”
Brazil defender Luiz put Aguero’s challenge down to “frustration”.
“It is better when you talk about Aguero to talk about good things rather than bad things,” he added.
“It is quite normal frustration when you don’t win the game and I don’t like to speak about negative things.”
