West Ham United’s Winston Reid (centre) confronts Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger after the pair clashed during the EPL match at Old Trafford in Manchester last Saturday. Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat with his left elbow as they jostled for position while awaiting a free-kick during the drawn encounter. (AFP)

Agencies/London


Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been banned for three matches over an off-the-ball incident with West Ham United’s Winston Reid, the Football Association announced yesterday.
Germany captain Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat with his left elbow as they jostled for position while awaiting a free-kick in the first half of last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. The incident was missed by the match officials, but a panel of former elite referees decided that Schweinsteiger had committed a red-card offence after reviewing video footage.
“Bastian Schweinsteiger will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after he accepted an FA charge for violent conduct which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video,” the FA said in a statement.
“The Manchester United midfielder was involved in an incident with West Ham United’s Winston Reid in the 40th minute of the game on Saturday 5 December 2015.”
Schweinsteiger, 31, has played 22 games for United and scored one goal since signing from formative club Bayern Munich in July. He will miss the forthcoming Premier League games against Bournemouth, Norwich City and Stoke City.

I was wrong to throw
bib at Mourinho: Costa
Chelsea striker Diego Costa says he was wrong to throw his bib towards manager Jose Mourinho when he was left on the bench during the goalless Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month.
“The bib (incident) is in the past. I made a mistake but my relationship with Mourinho is amazing, we get on really well. There are things you need to control but the bib thing was an impulse,” the Brazilian-born forward told  a Spanish radio station.
Costa has failed to show the form of last season when his 20 league goals propelled the Blues to the title, netting just three times this term. He is confident the threat of losing his place in the Spain squad for Euro 2016 in France will push him to get better.
“I have to improve a bit. The start of the season has not been good for me, not in how I have played nor in goals,” he said. “The truth is Chelsea haven’t been in a great moment, above all losing the other day at home (against Bournemouth). It was important to win (against Porto) to make the fans happy and to recover our confidence,” added Costa in reference to Wednesday’s 2-0 victory that took Chelsea into the last 16 of the Champions League.
“I know I have to be better to go to Euro 2016 with Spain. I have to work hard and fight but I know I have time to improve and I hope I will.”
Costa also refused to rule out a move back to former club Atletico Madrid. “You never know, look how well Filipe Luis is doing (with Atletico) now,” Costa said of the former Chelsea defender. “Life is full of surprises. I always wish Atletico the best and I always follow them and support them from afar.”
Jose Mourinho’s men are down in 14th place in the Premier League and travel to surprise leaders Leicester City on Monday.