Aguero charge with three match ban.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will miss the Manchester derby after being handed a three-match suspension for violent conduct by the Football Association.

Aguero was charged retrospectively by the FA after appearing to elbow West Ham’s Winston Reid in the second half of the Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium on August 28.

The incident, after which Reid was seen holding his neck, was missed by referee Andre Marriner and his fellow officials during the match.

The charge was issued after a review panel felt he should have been sent off, and was subsequently contested and rejected.

Aguero will now be banned for City’s next three domestic matches – starting with the derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 10, the home clash with Bournemouth and EFL Cup tie at Swansea.

The Argentina striker has scored eight goals in his nine appearances against city rivals United.

A statement from the Football Association read: “Sergio Aguero will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after an FA charge of violent conduct against him was found proven.

“The Manchester City forward was involved in a 76th-minute incident with West Ham United’s Winston Reid on Sunday [28 August 2016], which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.

“The club denied the charge and submitted further that, if it was to be found proven, the standard punishment would be clearly excessive.

“On finding the charge proven at a hearing today (Friday 2 September 2016), an Independent Regulatory Commission went on to reject the club’s further claim to decrease the three-match ban.”

Aguero, who is not playing in Argentina’s forthcoming World Cup qualifying double-header against Uruguay and Venezuela due to a calf injury, had made a superb start to the season, scoring six times in his first three appearances, including a hat-trick in a Champions League play-off win at Steaua Bucharest.

His form has helped Guardiola’s side win their opening three games of the Premier League season, with United and Chelsea the only other teams with perfect records so far.

Mkhitaryan could miss derby after injury blow.

Man Utd star Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be a doubt for next weekend’s Manchester derby after coming off injured on international duty with Armenia on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old was subbed off during Armenia’s match with the Czech Republic following a nasty collision with Marek Sukhy.

Despite not starting a game since Jose Mourinho splashed out on his signature from Bundesliga side Dortmund, Mkhitaryan, is tipped to make a big impression on the Premier League this campaign.

His new boss at Old Trafford will be hoping that he was brought off as a precaution against the Czechs ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Denmark.

The Red Devils face City on September 10 in a huge Premier League clash, with both clubs boasting a perfect start in their opening three fixtures.

Earlier this week Mourinho raised concerns over the fitness of his players when they return from international duty.

“We keep eight outfield players and Sam Johnstone as the goalkeeper,” he told MUTV.

“We are going to lose the others and we don’t know the way they train, the way they recover, the life they are going to have with their national teams.”

Joe Hart poured out his love to city fans.

Joe Hart has taken to social media to pour his heart out after leaving Manchester City for Torino on a season-long loan deal.

New City boss Pep Guardiola made it clear that Hart wouldn’t be his first-choice goalkeeper for this campaign and the England international fell even further down the pecking order when the club signed Claudio Bravo from Barcelona last week.

That led to Hart looking for a way out at the Etihad Stadium and he finalised a move to Serie A side Torino on deadline day.


The keeper was one of several players to leave City on loan during deadline day, including Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony.

Hours after completing his move to the Italian side, Hart wrote an emotional goodbye message on Facebook to the City fans.

“I just wanted to take this opportunity to address all the amazing Manchester City fans who have been so good to me. It’s been a difficult few weeks but that will never cloud the amazing journey and experience your great club has given to me,” the 29-year-old wrote.

“From the moment I signed in 2006, the club and its fans have given me football and life experiences I could never have imagined and I am so thankful for that.

“Football is a crazy game and, due to circumstances, I am now moving on to another chapter of my career and I am very grateful that Torino has given me this opportunity to play for their great club.

“But the feelings I felt during the recent Steaua Bucharest game will live with me forever. You can’t buy that and I will struggle to replicate them. So thank you for that and all the amazing memories.

“There are many great people at the club behind the scenes and the club is moving in the right direction, so I would like to wish Manchester City football club, all its staff and players and of course the fans, all the best for the coming season and beyond.”

Nasri says Pep Guardiola wanted him to stay in city.

Samir Nasri has claimed Pep Guardiola urged him to stay at Manchester City and fight for his place.

Nasri was one of four City players to leave the club on Wednesday as he joined Spanish side Sevilla on a season-long loan.

The Frenchman’s future had seemed uncertain following Guardiola’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium in the summer, particularly after the Spanish boss revealed the 29-year-old reported for pre-season training overweight.

But Nasri had shown signs of turning the situation around as he appeared as a substitute against West Ham at the weekend and Guardiola then said he would remain in his thoughts if he stayed.

Nasri now says Guardiola was keen for that to be case, but he himself felt his career would be better served elsewhere.

The former Arsenal midfielder, in an interview published on the Sevilla website, said: “Guardiola, until the last moment, tried to make me stay but I was clear I wanted to leave and go to a place where I could give my best level. I was looking for a family club and in Sevilla I have found just that, but until the last moment I haven’t been able to leave.”

Nasri is confident he can soon get up to speed at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

“I’m fine, because I played last weekend with Manchester City,” he said. “I am very excited and I hope to do my best.”

Nasri spent six months on the sidelines last season after suffering a serious thigh injury which required surgery after muscle and tendon were detached from the bone.

He said: “Last year was difficult for me both on and off the field but the time I was injured helped me to step back and reflect. I learned a lot in the last year.”

Nasri’s City team-mate and compatriot Eliaquim Mangala, a £42million signing from Porto two years ago, has also moved out after joining Valencia on a season-long loan.

Mangala twice had opportunities to join the club in the past and feels the move came at the right time.

He told the club’s website, valenciacf.com: “I think coming to Valencia was my destiny. I am here to show my quality and my potential for a full season.”

Alex replaces injured team-mate on international duties.

England have called up uncapped goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in place of his injured Southampton team-mate Fraser Forster ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier in Slovakia.

Forster had been expected to challenge Joe Hart for the number one jersey following the latter’s exile at Manchester City this season, but he has been sent home with an arm injury.

Hart, who left the camp to complete a season-long loan deal with Serie A side Torino this week, will now be firm favourite to retain the gloves for Sam Allardyce’s first match as Three Lions boss.

Burnley’s Tom Heaton was the third goalkeeper in his original squad, and has a single brief substitute appearance to his name, while 26-year-old McCarthy is on board as cover.

He did play three times for England Under-21s and received his first senior call-up for the friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Brazil in 2013.

Since then he has largely played the role of understudy.

McCarthy’s last full season as first-choice was in 2013/14 at Reading and he has since played supporting roles at QPR and Crystal Palace.

He joined Saints in the summer, as deputy to Forster, and has yet to feature.

Barca claims Juve broke their agreement on Pogba.

Barcelona sporting director Albert Soler has revealed the club had an agreement with Juventus to sign Paul Pogba before but were blown out of the water by Manchester United’s offer.

United paid Juventus an initial £89million to re-sign Pogba this summer, with the midfielder returning to the club he left in 2012.

But Soler claims Barcelona had first refusal on the France international after striking an agreement following the 2014/15 season.

“Last year we reached an agreement with Juventus: if they wanted to sell Pogba we would have a priority,” he said. “That was the commitment that we had. Juve did not want to sell the player and we didn’t have the need to sign him.

“Barcelona has always had a great relationship with Juventus. If we would have wanted to do the deal, nobody could advance us.

“We signed six players with €120million. If one club can pay €120m for one player [it] will be very difficult to sign great players.”

Barcelona ended the transfer window by signing Valencia striker Paco Alcacer in a €30million deal.

Chelsea makes improve Romagnoli bid.

Chelsea have returned to AC Milan with a new bid for centre-back Alessio Romagnoli after seeing an opening €30million offer turned down.

Antonio Conte, who has been critical of the ‘crazy’ transfer market, is determined to add to his centre-back options and take the strain off first-choice pairing John Terry and Gary Cahill.

The Blues have seemingly moved on from their primary target Kalidou Koulibaly, who according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, has been offered a new, improved deal with current club Napoli which would see his release clause upped to €70m should he accept.

Romagnoli would be allowed to leave the San Siro if a suitable replacement can be found, and gianlucadimarzio.com believes Chelsea have tempted the Serie A club once again with a €35million offer and an extra €5million bonus based on performances.

Edimilson expected to have Hammers medical.

Edimilson Fernandes is due to travel to London for a medical at West Ham after the Hammers reportedly agreed a £5.5m fee with FC Sion.

According to The Guardian, Fernandes, who is the cousin of former Manchester City player Gelson Fernandes, will sign a four-year contract with the club once the formalities have been taken of.

Bilic has been predominantly focusing on bringing in a new striker, but has also expressed a desire to bolster his midfield options as well.

The arrival of Fernandes could spell the end of Pedro Obiang, who has been tipped with a return to Serie A.

Fernandes made 26 appearances in the Swiss Super League last season and is a product of the FC Sion youth system.

Hart wonders at situations in city.

Out-of-favour Joe Hart is said to be furious at how he has been treated by Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, according to reports.

Guardiola has dropped Hart for the opening three matches of the season, preferring Willy Caballero in goal, due to concerns over the England international’s ability with the ball at his feet.

City are now set to sign Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in a £17million move, which would see Hart be demoted further to third-choice stopper.

According to the Daily Mail, Hart believes Guardiola decided he was going to replace him before the end of last season, but did not inform the player.

The 29-year-old feels that he has now been left without sufficient time to secure a move elsewhere and now has a distinct lack of options after Everton pulled out of a £7million loan deal.

Hugo Lloris: Champions league spot kept me.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris says there was never any doubt in his mind that he would stay at Tottenham this summer.

Lloris has cemented his reputation as one of the game’s finest stoppers during four seasons at White Hart Lane and the Spurs skipper has been linked with Europe’s biggest clubs ever since moving to north London from Lyon in 2012.

But the 29-year-old insists there was never any thought of leaving this summer after Mauricio Pochettino’s men confirmed their place in the Champions League with a third-place finish int he Premier League last season.

When asked whether his phone was ringing with offers during the close season, Lloris told L’Equipe: “I turned it off.

“There have been rumours of my departure for many summers. From the moment we reached our goal, in spring, my mind was made up.

“I’ve never asked myself the question. I knew I would stay.

“I am in a project which started really with Pochettino. The first two seasons, yes, it didn’t happen as I wished collectively, but the challenges have helped me make my way. They saw that they could count on me.”

Lloris can’t wait to return to the Champions League this term after a three-season absence.

“It is an indescribable competition,” added the France star. “This is where you have to be, and where you want to be.”