Chelsea's Diego Costa could face four-game ban after Skrtel clash

Posted Monday, November 02, 2015 by ESPN

Chelsea striker Diego Costa is waiting to discover if he will be retrospectively punished by the Football Association for an alleged kick on Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.

Costa, 27, appeared to dig his boot into Skrtel's chest as both fell to the ground in the middle of the field during Liverpool's 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Referee Mark Clattenburg took no action over the specific incident at the time, but several former referees have said that they would have dismissed the Spain international had they seen it.

However, if Clattenburg did see Costa move his leg towards Skrtel but deemed it accidental, then he could escape action.

Chelsea's Diego Costa could face four-game ban after Skrtel clash
Diego Costa and Martin Skrtel are spoken to by referee Mark Clattenburg.

Costa and Skrtel have had several heated battles -- dating back to when Slovakia beat Spain in a Euro 2016 qualifier in October 2014 and running into the clubs' meetings in the Premier League and the Capital One Cup last season.

Costa has faced trial by television once already this season, banned for three games after a clash with Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny in September.

As he has already been suspended this season, any punishment for the Skrtel incident would carry a four-game ban and see the striker miss games against Stoke, Norwich, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth. He would get a three-game ban for the kick, plus an additional game as it is his second offence.

Former ref Howard Webb told BT Sport: "They [The FA] will have a look I think. I think it is a clear red card. He commits a foul on Martin Skrtel, then there is a little kick.