Manchester City Football Club

• Nickname:Sky Blues
• Founded:1887
• Manager:Roberto Mancini

• Ground:City of Manchester Stadium
• Capacity:47805

City to challenge SWP charge

08 Feb 2009 - 11:42:57

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Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has urged the Football Association to downgrade Shaun Wright-Phillips' violent conduct charge.

City originally had until Friday evening to respond to the charge but the England winger was able to play in Saturday's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough as they successfully argued for more time to build their case.

Wright-Phillips has a three-game ban hanging over his head after he clashed with Stoke City's Rory Delap in last Saturday's game at the Britannia Stadium in an incident that led to the Potters star being sent off.

While he lay on the ground, Wright-Phillips aimed a kick at Delap, an incident which was missed at the time by referee Martin Atkinson.

But City intend to fight the charge after Hughes revealed he doesn't accept that his player's actions warranted a violent conduct charge.

The case will be heard on Monday morning.

"We know Shaun retaliated but we have asked the FA to look at it again," he said.

"We have made various representations to maybe having the charge changed from violent conduct to something less.

"How successful we are, we will have to wait and see."