Newcastle's Islam Slimani banned for three games despite plea over punishment

The striker will miss the final three Premier League games of the season after accepting a charge of violent conduct.

Slimani, signed on loan from Leicester City in January, kicked out at Craig Dawson in last weekend's 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at St James's Park.

The incident was missed by referee David Coote and 29-year-old has been punished retrospectively.

Newcastle today revealed that Slimani had "argued the suspension was excessive".

This argument was rejected by the Independent Regulatory Commission which examined the incident.