Manchester City's Mario Balotelli has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association after appearing to stamp on Scott Parker.

The incident occurred in City's 3-2 win over Tottenham, with Balotelli scoring a late penalty to win Sunday's match.

Following a dismissal earlier this season Balotelli, 21, faces a four-match ban, but any unsuccessful appeal could result in a longer suspension.

Joleon Lescott will not be punished after a clash with Younes Kaboul.

Manchester City defender Lescott caught Kaboul in the face with his forearm in a separate incident at Etihad Stadium.

Italy striker Balotelli, who has until 1800 GMT on Wednesday to respond to the charge, came on as a 65th-minute substitute against Spurs.

He was booked for a foul on Benoit Assou-Ekotto but, after escaping punishment from referee Howard Webb following his clash with Parker, the striker was fouled by Ledley King in the final minute of added time and converted the resulting penalty.

If he pleads guilty, Balotelli will miss Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool at Anfield.

However, should the Italian international decide to appeal he will be available for that tie, with a hearing likely to take place later this week.

The normal punishment for violent conduct is a three-match suspension but Balotelli was sent-off in the league match at Liverpool in November so would incur an additional one-game ban.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was incensed that Balotelli was not dismissed in Sunday's crucial Premier League encounter for what he termed a "blatant" foul.

"It is not the first time he has done that and I am sure it won't be the last," Redknapp said.

"I have got my own opinions but I don't like people kicking other people in the head on football pitches. I don't think it's wrong to say that.

"Why you should backheel someone in the head when they are lying on the floor is beyond me. It's not a nice thing to do.

"He reacts to challenges like that at times. Scott has got a cut on his head."

Spurs, who fought back from two goals down to draw level in a gripping contest, could have moved within two points of City with a victory.

But City's controversial win took them eight points ahead of the Londoners and maintained a three-point advantage over second-placed Manchester United.

Balotelli joined City in a £24m deal from Inter Milan in the summer of 2010 but has been involved in a number of controversies on and off the pitch.

He has been sent off three times, was unable to continue after suffering an allergy to the grass in Kiev, threw a dart at a reserve team player and escaped injury after a firework was let off in his house.

City's Sergio Aguero defended his strike partner, however, insisting there is a big difference between the public perception of Balotelli and the player he sees every day.

"Firstly we all know what a fantastic player he is. But those of us who are really close to Mario know that off the field he's a really good lad," the Argentina international said.

"Like a lot of players he has his own idiosyncracies here and there. You know him as a player - what you see on the field. But I know he's a lovely lad."




Page last updated at 07:01 GMT, Tuesday, 24 January 2012
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16693521.stm