
Sergio
Aguero has been handed a four-game ban following his sending off during
Manchester City's defeat to Chelsea.
Aguero was shown a straight red for his knee-high challenge on Chelsea
defender David Luiz, which led to a bench-clearing melee at the Etihad
Stadium on Saturday.
Aguero's team-mate Fernandinho was also sent off for shoving Cesc Fabregas,
who fell over an advertising hoarding, and the Brazilian midfielder has been
hit by a three-game suspension.
Premier League leaders Chelsea won the game 3-1 for an eighth successive
victory, but both clubs can anticipate FA disciplinary action for a failure
to control their players.
Fabregas' role in Fernandinho's dismissal could also be scrutinised after it
appeared he struck the City man in the face, prompting the Brazil
international's furious reaction.
Aguero's offence was effectively his second dismissal of the season after he
served a three-match ban for violent conduct, issued retrospectively after
he was adjudged to have elbowed West Ham's Winston Reid in August.
The Argentina striker will miss City's matches with Leicester, Watford,
Arsenal and Hull this month. Fernandinho will be available for the Hull game
on Boxing Day.
"It's a pity about what happened, we will accept the bans," said City
manager Pep Guardiola.
City defender Nicolas Otamendi, meanwhile, received his fifth booking of the
season on Saturday to prompt an automatic one-match suspension, so Pep
Guardiola will be without three players for Saturday's trip to Leicester.
The two red cards against Chelsea took City's number of on-field dismissals
to five in the early months of Guardiola's reign.
Fernandinho and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo were sent off in Champions League
action, while Nolito was handed his marching orders in September's win over
Bournemouth.