Manchester United has announced that striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has accepted FA’s charge of violent conduct and will serve a three-match ban.
The Red Devils posted the FA’s charges in a statement release on their website following the two incidents which occurred between Ibrahimovic and Bournemouth’s defender Tyrone Mings during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will serve a three-match suspension after accepting an FA charge: https://t.co/o3ebpBWwTh pic.twitter.com/sKPBYytMTL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 7, 2017
“Zlatan Ibrahimovic will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of violent conduct and accepted the standard penalty,” the statement says.
“It follows an incident in or around the 44th minute of the game between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth on Saturday (4 March 2017).
“The misconduct was not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video.”
Ibramovic deliberately elbowed Mings as they both raced to head the ball after the cherries defender landed on the United forward’s head with his studs.
Ibramovic is now set to miss Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea and Premier League games against Middlesbrough and West Brom. He would return to Premier League in time for the match against Everton but he would still participate Europa round of 16 game against FC Rostov in Russia on Thursday.
The news is a real bummer for the United as they have total reliance on Ibrahimovic for goals for entire duration of the season. The striker has 15 Premier League goals and 26 goals across all competition making him United’s leading scorer this season.
The suspension might as well be the opening Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford needs to gain a spot at the fore-front and Anthony Martial could finally be utilized.