SERGIO AGUERO TO MISS THE MANCHESTER DERBY AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH VIOLENT CONDUCT OVER REID ELBOW

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is set to miss the derby clash with Manchester United after the FA charged him with violent conduct for elbowing West Ham defender Winston Reid.

Referee Andre Marriner confirmed in his match report that he had not seen the Argentinean fling his elbow back into the throat of Reid and it has been unanimously decided by an FA panel that it was a deliberate attempt to hurt his opponent.

Reid receives treatment after the incident Credit: AFP

City had been hopeful their top goalscorer would escape a ban as Marriner appeared to be looking at the two players when the collided, although he denied that was the case, which has allowed the FA to take action based on video footage.
A statement released by the FA read: “Sergio Aguero has been charged for an alleged act of violent conduct which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.
“The Manchester City forward was involved in an incident with West Ham United’s Winston Reid in the 76th minute of the game on Sunday [28 August 2016].
“He has until 6pm on Wednesday 31 August to reply.

Guardiola could be left without his star striker Credit: PA

“Off the ball incidents which are not seen at the time by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite match officials.
“Each panel member will review the video footage independently of one another to determine whether they consider it a sending-off offence.
“For retrospective action to be taken, and an FA charge to follow, the decision of the panel must be unanimous.”
The loss of Aguero ahead of their toughest test of the season so far against their biggest rivals, United, is a big blow, although the striker was already a doubt for the trip to Old Trafford on Saturday September 10th because of a calf injury.

Aguero was forced off with injury Credit: AFP

Aguero limped off late in the second half with the problem and it has already forced him to miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela over the weekend.

The injury is a worry at such an early stage of the campaign for new City manager Pep Guardiola as Aguero has suffered a series of calf and hamstring strains in the last few years.

If Aguero is injured, the prospect of a three match ban for his red mist swipe at Reid will be easier for City to accept and they are unlikely to contest the charge.

If, as expected, Aguero accepts the charge, he will also be suspended for the Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth and Swansea