SERGIO AGUERO acted in a “brutal” fashion that “clearly endangered the safety” of West Ham defender Winston Reid.
That was the opinion of the FA panel that upheld the three-game ban for the Manchester City striker following the incident in the Premier League clash between the two teams.
Although the incident was not reported by referee Andre Marriner, the FA decided to act after seeing video evidence.
Manchester City appealed the ban, but this was rejected by an independent commission, chaired by Stuart Ripley.
"Having been knocked off balance by Winston Reid, Mr Aguero had thrown out his left arm in an aggressive manner that was excessive in force and brutal, which clearly endangered the safety of Mr Reid," the report states.
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"Indeed, even though the point of Mr Aguero’s elbow did not connect with Mr Reid, his flailing forearm did and this contact between forearm and throat/neck clearly hurt Mr Reid."
The three-man panel, that also included Alan Knight and Brian Talbot, also noted the Argentinian striker had a "clenched fist" as he made an "upward movement."
Manchester City had noted in their appeal that did not the incident did not "constitute violent conduct and that the punishment of a three-game ban was , "clearly excessive and should be decreased."
But the commission decided that the video evidence presented to them was "conclusive"
Aguero has already had to sit out the Manchester derby triumph last weekend, and will also miss the league games against Bournemouth and Swansea.
He is, however, permitted to play for City in Europe, and is in contention to start against Borussia Monchengladbach in tonight's rescheduled Champions League clash.
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