Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger banned for three matches

Schweinsteiger was punished for an elbow on West Ham defender Winston Reid

Manchester United midfielder Bastain Schweinsteiger has been banned by the FA for the club’s next three games. The German midfielder accepted the FA’s charge of violent conduct and will serve the ban with immediate effect, missing Manchester United’s next three games.

The incident that led to Schweinsteiger being suspended occured in United’s goalless draw at home to West Ham. As the players lined up for a free kick, Schweinsteiger grappled with West Ham defender Winston Reid and ended up elbowing Reid in the face. Match referee Mark Clattenburg had a good view of the two players clashing together and called them over to calm things down. However, Clattenburg missed Schweinsteiger elbowing Winston Reid in the face, and did not include the incident in the match report.

Speaking of the incident after the game, Winston Reid said, “He knows what he's done - he's elbowed me in the face.” His manager Slaven Bilic was similarly condemning, saying “It was a clear red card - a straight red without any doubts. It was a moment of madness. He deserved to be sent off, but the referee told me he didn't see it. Fair enough, I believe it. It was an elbow.”

Since Clattenburg did not see the incident, the Football Association had the jurisdiction to punish the German midfielder retroactively, constituting a panel of three former elite referees to investigate the incident. The referees viewed the incident, captured on video, independently, unanimously ruling later that it was a sending off offense. Schweinsteiger could have appealed the verdict, risking a 4 match ban, but has decided to serve the 3 match ban immediately.

The German midfielder will miss games against Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke City, but should return in time for Manchester United’s game against Chelsea. The former Bayern Munich man has not had the greatest of times in Manchester, with his manager Louis van Gaal being repeatedly critical of the midfielder saying that the Schweinsteiger of Manchester United in not the same player he managed in Bayern Munich.

Despite his performances, Schweinsteiger will be important for Manchester United as the Red Devils have a lengthy injury list, with 9 first team players injured. The German only recently scored his first goal in 24 appearances for United, scoring the equalizer against Leicester City.