The FA have this evening charged Luis Suarez with violent conduct following yesterday’s altercation with Branislav Ivanovic at Anfield. While Liverpool have acted quickly in fining the Uruguayan and the player himself has contacted Ivanovic after the biting incident, he looks set to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, judging by the following FA statement:
“The incident was not seen by the match officials and has therefore been retrospectively reviewed. It is alleged that the conduct of Luis Suarez constitutes violent conduct and it is The FA’s contention that the standard punishment of three matches that would otherwise apply is clearly insufficient in these circumstances.”
Given that Suarez has previously been banned for seven matches by the Dutch FA for similar behaviour, there’d be no real surprise if the FA followed suit. Not only does this seem certain to end his contribution to the current campaign, a substantial suspension would have a knock-on effect into the start of next season, too. Owned by over 37% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, Suarez is the third most popular player in the game – only Robin Van Persie has more owners for forwards.
Today’s news will have Fantasy managers scrambling to restructure frontlines – many will be targeting the six sides on the verge of a double Gameweek 36. The likes of Arouna Kone, Romelu Lukaku and Carlos Tevez can be expected to pick up ownership, though Daniel Sturridge owners will also benefit from Suarez’s absence now. Having dropped down to 6.6 in FPL, the former Chelsea man now looks set to lead the line for the Reds’ final four games against Newcastle, Everton, Fulham and QPR.
According to the FA, Suarez has until 6pm tomorrow to appeal but it seems certain the club won’t question the decision. Already, a disciplinary meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday to establish the severity of the suspension.
