Leicester City and English midfielder Danny Drinkwater has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association for an alleged elbow on Watford's Valon Behrami. The incident was said to happen in the 67th minute of the match which Leicester went on to lose 2-1 at Vicarage Road.
The Foxes are now just two points off the relegation zone after suffering yet another loss. It took Capoue only 33 seconds to score against the Premier League champions. 12 minutes later Roberto Pereyra put one more past them, and Riyad Mahrez penalty was nothing more than a consolation.
The FA were alerted after footage of the game made the rounds on social media on Sunday, showing the midfielder elbowing into Behrami. A three-man independent panel concluded that the clash was deserving of a red card. The referee at the time, Neil Swarbrick, is understood to have not seen the incident.
The player is facing a three-match ban after allegedly elbowing the Watford midfielder and it comes as an unnecessary blow to Leicester's title defence.
Drinkwater, if suspended, is set to miss out crucial matches against Middlesbrough, Sunderland and a decisive clash against Manchester City. He will, however, be eligible for the club's Champions League fixture against Porto on the 7th of December. The club have surprisingly done well in Europe, recently beating Club Brugge to advance to the next round.
With just 12 points in the League so far and sitting 14th on the table, Europe has been a silver lining for the side.
Boss Claudio Ranieri cut a very worried figure, as he spoke to reporters after the game. “The relegation zone is very close and we have to react. It’s not a worry at the moment but we have to see. Last season I was always watching behind me and this season is the same.
“Of course I expected it to be hard this season but not so much. I expected more points. Now we have to be compact and continue to work hard because there is only one medicine — working hard and being together.”
Claudio Ranieri meanwhile, will only have Andy King and Daniel Amartey as available central midfielders, with Danny Simpson and Robert Huth just a caution away from bans.
