City ban Ben as FA step in

BEN THATCHER has been suspended by Manchester City and charged with serious foul play by the Football Association as the full horror of his challenge on Pedro Mendes begins to sink in.

The former Welsh international met manager Stuart Pearce at City’s Carrington training ground yesterday morning and was told he would not feature against Arsenal today as a direct result of his elbows-first tackle on Mendes which saw the Portsmouth player spend Wednesday night in hospital.

Thatcher is said to be in full agreement of the internal punishment, which is also likely to extend to two weeks wages and has been ratified by City chairman John Wardle, who also met with Pearce.