Aguero receives 3-match suspension for violent conduct

Manchester City will be without forward Sergio Aguero for the next three matches as the English FA announced Friday the Argentina international is to serve a three-match suspension after being charged with violent conduct.

The suspension means manager Pep Guardiola will not be able to call on Aguero for next Saturday's Manchester Derby match against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United.

Aguero's charge of violent conduct came due to an incident in the 76th minute of Manchester City's last match with West Ham, when he looked to elbow defender Winston Reid in the face. The referee did not see the incident, but video review after the match showed the infraction.

The club denied the charge and appealed the decision, calling a possible three-match ban "excessive" but the FA explained, "On finding the charge proven at a hearing today ... an Independent Regulatory Commission went on to reject the club’s further claim to decrease the three-match ban."

Aguero started the 2016-17 campaign in fine fashion, scoring in a 2-1 win over Sunderland to open the Premier League season, then notching a hat-trick over Steaua Bucuresti in the Champions League play-off. He also scored twice in a 4-1 win over Stoke City in the second regular season fixture of 2016-17.

That fine form will certainly be missed as Guardiola squares off against his old adversary Mourinho once again, this time on the hallowed grounds of Old Trafford, far removed from the cathedrals of football in Barcelona or Madrid.

Suspensions are a rarity for Aguero, who has yet to pick up a red card in the Premier League since joining City in 2011. However, Aguero's time has not come without incident or controversy.

In 2013, Aguero escaped retroactive punishment after putting a pair of studs into Chelsea defender David Luiz, a challenge he explained came down to "five seconds" of anger.

It seems Aguero was not quite as fortunate this time around.