Stoke lose appeal over Robert Huth red card

Stoke have lost their appeal to the Football Association against defender Robert Huth's red card received during Saturday's home clash with Sunderland and the player must now serve a three game ban.

Huth was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson after 45 minutes of the Barclays Premier League encounter at the Britannia Stadium for a challenge on Blacks Cats midfielder David Meyler.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis opted to appeal against the dismissal after claiming there was "no intent" in Huth's challenge and that he "was nowhere near the Sunderland player."

But an independent regulatory commission have rejected the appeal today.

A statement on the FA website read: "An independent regulatory commission has today dismissed the claim of wrongful dismissal of Stoke City's Robert Huth.

"The defender will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect following his red card for serious foul play in the game with Sunderland on February 4."

It means Huth will miss two league games, at Fulham this weekend and the home clash with Swansea on February 26, plus the FA Cup fifth-round encounter at Crawley on February 19.

The commission did not exercise the option of adding another game to Huth's punishment which can occur if they deem an appeal to be frivolous.

Huth will also be eligible to play in Stoke's two-legged Europa League tie with Valencia on February 16 and 23.

Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill claimed the Huth challenge was "reckless" in his media conference ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup replay with Middlesbrough.

PA