One-match Ban For Suarez

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been handed a one-match suspension, fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct after admitting to an improper conduct charge for his behaviour at Fulham.

The club has also been fined £20,000 for failing to control their players in the same match.

Uruguay international Suarez was pictured apparently making a one-figured gesture towards Fulham's fans following Liverpool's1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage on 5th December.

The ruling, announced by the Football Association, comes at a sensitive time for the Reds, who have made clear their anger over an eight-game suspension handed to the striker for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

The FA confirmed Suarez's punishment on their official website on Wednesday.

A statement read: "Liverpool player Luis Suarez will begin a one-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of improper conduct in relation to the same game.

"Suarez was also fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct following a gesture he made towards the Fulham fans at the end of the fixture."

The suspension means Suarez will be absent for the Reds' game at home to Newcastle on Friday.

Liverpool, whose players and manager, Kenny Dalglish, wore Suarez T-shirts in the warm-up of their match against Wigan, look certain to appeal the eight-game ban for the Evra incident once they have assessed the commission's detailed report.

Meanwhile, the club has been fined £20,000 and warned as to their future conduct for "failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion" during the same match.

The encounter saw Reds midfielder Jay Spearing sent off, an incident that led to a handful of Liverpool players remonstrating with referee Kevin Friend.

Liverpool admitted the charge of failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion but contested the financial penalty.

The FA added: "The club admitted the charge, which was in relation to the dismissal of Jay Spearing, but did not accept the standard £20,000 penalty for the offence. However, at an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today [Wednesday 28 December] the fine was imposed."