The Preston striker Milutin Osmajic has been given an eight-match ban and fined £15,000 for biting the Blackburn defender Owen Beck. The incident took place in a Championship match between the two Lancashire clubs on 22 September.
Announcing Osmajic’s punishment, a Football Association spokesperson said: “The forward admitted that he committed an act of violent conduct around the 87th minute by biting an opponent.”
The Montenegro international committed the offence – which went unseen by the referee – when Beck was sent off for kicking out at Duane Holmes late in the 0-0 draw at Deepdale.
The Blackburn manager, John Eustace, said after the game: “[Beck has] got a big bite mark on the back of his neck. He’s shown all the lads. He’s a little bit quiet, a little bit shook up.” Preston’s manager, Paul Heckingbottom, said: “There’s no place for [biting].”
Osmajic joined Preston last year for an undisclosed fee reported to be a club record. He scored twice in the North End’s last outing, a 3-0 victory over Watford.
The then Liverpool striker Luis Suárez received a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in 2013.