Wright-Phillips banned for three games

The Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has been suspended for three league games after being found guilty of violent conduct by the Football Association, the club have announced.

The 27-year-old was charged after an incident that saw Stoke's Rory Delap sent off during City's 1–0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium on 31 January. The referee Martin Atkinson did not see all of the altercation but, after watching video footage, informed the FA he would have shown Wright-Phillips a red card for violent conduct had he spotted the incident.

Wright-Phillips will therefore miss City's next three Premier League matches – all away from home – at Portsmouth on Saturday, against Liverpool on 22 February and at West Ham on 1 March. He will, however, be available for the two-legged Uefa Cup last-32 encounter with FC Copenhagen later this month.

>>guardian.co.uk

Not a surprise really, and inevitable once he had been charged retrospectively with violent conduct, which brings with it a three game suspension.

To the letter of the law there is no defending Wright-Phillips as it is plain for all to see he kicked out at Delap, yet on the very same weekend, other (more) high profile incidents went unpunished.

Looking at the games he will miss, they do look to be three important ones and his presence in the side will be sorely missed.