Source: Daily_Mail
Emmanuel Adebayor out on count of three as City take FA charge on the chin
Emmanuel Adebayor will be hit with a three-match ban after Manchester City decided not to fight an FA charge of violent conduct for the clash with his former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie.
The suspension means Adebayor will miss Sunday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford, leaving City manager Mark Hughes chronically short of strikers for the short trip to neighbours United.
The Togo striker still faces the threat of further punishment from the FA for his goal celebration that sparked disturbances in City's 4-2 win over Arsenal at Eastlands on Saturday.
Having viewed video footage of the incident in which Van Persie was left with a nasty facial cut after Adebayor reacted to a rash tackle by raking his right boot down the Dutchman's cheek, City decided that there was little point contesting the charge.
But they will present a file to the FA's disciplinary commission today claiming he was provoked by the wild nature of Van Persie's challenge and the foul-mouthed chants from Arsenal's travelling supporters, and pointing out that he made a swift apology after the controversial game.
The club yesterday issued a statement, saying: 'Manchester City announce that both the club and Emmanuel Adebayor have reluctantly accepted the violent conduct charge laid by the FA.
Micah Makes It
'The player strongly maintains that he did not intend to act in a violent manner. He apologised on the day to Robin van Persie personally and to the wider public for the outcome of the challenge. We await the findings of the FA's disciplinary panel.'
The FA used their fast-track system to charge Adebayor after referee Mark Clattenburg claimed that he had not seen the incident - he took no action at the time - but said he would have shown the City striker a straight red card had he done so.
Although City hope their appeal will persuade the FA commission to show leniency, it is likely that he will face an automatic three-match ban if, as expected, he is found guilty.
That would mean the £25million summer signing misses Wednesday's Carling Cup tie with Fulham and the Barclays Premier League game at home to West Ham the following week as well as Sunday's derby.
With Robinho, Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tevez - who has only a slight chance of being fit - all set to miss the game, Hughes may rely on Craig Bellamy as a lone striker in the absence of £100m-worth of attacking talent.
And Adebayor has not heard the last of the explosive first encounter with his former club, with an additional charge of improper conduct to be faced at a later date.
It relates to his reaction after heading City's third goal when Adebayor sprinted down the pitch to celebrate in front of Arsenal's furious fans. They hurled objects at their former striker and a City steward was even knocked unconscious amid the ugly scenes of unrest.
While Emmanuel Adebayor was widely condemned - and charged - for sprinting down the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday, rugby's own Adebayor incident on the same day was resolved with the minimum of fuss. Wasps wing David Lemi last night apologised for his provocative gesture (above) to Bath fans at the final whistle after beating his former club. In the absence of any outrage in the stands, the incident passed largely unnoticed. Lemi said: 'The game was extremely tense and I lost myself in the emotion of the win.'
