Martin Skrtel will pay for his moment of indiscretion with a chunk of his season.
England’s Football Association banned Skrtel for three games Wednesday for his violent conduct during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, according to LiverpoolFC.com. Skrtel denied the FA’s violent conduct charge, which stemmed from his stamp on Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea in the final seconds of the game, but an Independent Regulatory Commission reviewed the case and found him guilty.
Skrtel will miss Liverpool’s Premier League games against Arsenal and Newcastle as well as its FA Cup quarterfinal replay against Blackburn.
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Skrtel hasn’t commented publicly on the FA verdict. However, he did post the image below on Instagram following his ban announcement.
Skrtel has been an ever-present figure on Liverpool’s back line this season. He leads the team with 41 appearances (in all competitions) and also is tops in several key defensive stats.
Skrtel’s ban will force Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to reshuffle the defense as the season nears its climax. Kolo Toure and Dejan Lovren are Skrtel’s likely replacements. Rodgers also could alter Liverpool’s three-back system, which was key to their mid-season revival.
Skrtel denies violent conduct charge >>
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@SkyFootball
