Bowyer banned for Sagna foul

London - Birmingham City mifielder Lee Bowyer will be suspended for three games after accepting a Football Association (FA) charge of violent conduct for a challenge on Arsenal's Bacary Sagna, the English governing body announced on Tuesday.

Referee Peter Walton told the FA he would have sent-off Bowyer if he had seen the incident during title challengers Arsenal's 3-0 Premier League win away to Birmingham at St Andrew's on Saturday.

Bowyer will now miss Tuesday's league match at Blackpool, the FA Cup third round trip to Millwall on Saturday and next Tuesday's League Cup semi-final, first leg at West Ham.

Television replays showed Bowyer standing on Sagna when the defender was on the ground near the touchline.

"We accept the decision and will now have to move forward into the next three games without the services of Bowyer," Birmingham manager Alex McLeish told the club's official website.

"We have got a good discipline record at this club and stress to the players every week how important discipline is."

Bowyer, 34, will be available for the derby clash at home to Aston Villa on January 16.

Arsenal are two points behind league leaders Manchester United while Birmingham are currently second bottom, with only basement club Wolves below them in the table.