Leicester's Drinkwater banned for three matches

Britain Football Soccer - Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League - King Power Stadium - 6/11/16 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater look dejected at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic/Files

LONDON (Reuters) - Champions Leicester City will be without midfielder Danny Drinkwater for three games after he accepted a Football Association charge of violent misconduct, the club said on Thursday.

Drinkwater appeared to elbow Watford's Valon Behrami during his side's 2-1 Premier League defeat on Saturday.

It was missed at the time by the match officials but after watching video evidence the FA charged the 26-year-old.

The automatic three-match ban starts with immediate effect meaning Drinkwater will miss the matches against Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Manchester City.

Leicester are 14th in the Premier League, two points above the relegation zone, although they have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners following Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Club Bruges.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)