Manchester City Striker, Mario Balotelli Faces Four-Match Ban Over 'Stamp' On Tottenham's Scott Parker

Mario Balotelli faces becoming the second Manchester City player to incur a four-match ban this month after being charged by the FA with stamping on Tottenham's Scott Parker.

Balotelli has until 6pm on Wednesday to respond to a charge of violent conduct. It carries a three-match suspension but the volatile Italian striker would serve an extra game because of his dismissal at Liverpool in November.

City skipper Vincent Kompany is still banned after receiving the same punishment a fortnight ago for his second red card of the season.

If Balotelli accepts the charge, he will miss a return to Anfield in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday night and Barclays Premier League games against Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa.

If he contests it, he can play against Liverpool but risks being banned for the home League game against Blackburn instead when the case goes before a disciplinary panel.

The charge came after referee Howard Webb indicated he would have shown a straight red had he seen the incident in City’s 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

With Parker on the floor after blocking Balotelli’s shot, the City player caught his opponent in the face with his left leg and then appeared to bring his right foot down on the midfielder’s head.

PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle backed any punishment if the 21-year-old, who has three red cards and 15 yellows in his 47 games for City, is found guilty.

‘It’s not proven what his intentions were, but if it’s shown that he did purposefully stamp that’s something we want eradicated,’ said Carlisle. ‘You’re going all out to win, you have the aggression, but you know where to draw the line.’