MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was banned for four games Thursday after being found guilty of elbowing Hull's Craig Fagan, but will be available to play in the League Cup final.
A Football Association disciplinary panel ruled Ferdinand was guilty of violent conduct in Saturday's 4-0 win and dismissed his denial of the charge as "frivolous".
If he had pleaded guilty he would have received an automatic three-game ban. But Ferdinand contested the charge so that he could play in Wednesday's League Cup semifinal game against Manchester City, which United won 3-1 to reach the final against Aston Villa.
Ferdinand, who is only just back from injuries that ruled him out for three months, will miss league games against Arsenal, Portsmouth, Villa and Everton. But he will be back for the Feb. 28 League Cup final against Villa.
