FA hand Adebayor four-game ban

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been handed a four-match ban after being sent off during the FA Cup fifth-round replay defeat against Stoke on Tuesday, the FA have confirmed.

The Togo forward was dismissed after hitting Potters’ defender Ryan Shawcross with a flailing arm at the Britannia Stadium, and has chosen not to appeal against the decision.

Although it was the 25-year-old’s first red card of the season he was handed an extra one-game ban on top of the usual three-match suspension because it is the second occasion on which he has been found guilty of violent conduct.

Adebayor was given a three-game ban earlier in the season for a challenge of former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie in City’s 4-2 Premier League victory over the Gunners in September.

City are also without midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is currently serving his own three-match ban for violent conduct following his kick on Glenn Whelan in last week’s Premier League meeting with Stoke.