Striker accepts FA charge but may return from ban for Arsenal clash

Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic has accepted a charge of violent conduct for biting an opponent, but he might still be available to face Arsenal.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic had accepted an FA charge of violent conduct for biting Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck.

Preston’s director Peter Ridsdale told the media that the player had “accepted the charge that the FA put to him which was that he was seen to bite the opposing player”.

Yet for the time being, the FA are yet to confirm Osmajic’s punishment, which leaves his potential participation against Arsenal up in the air.

Alan Nixon reports on Patreon that Preston are hoping Osmajic only gets a four-game ban, with the player set to face an FA disciplinary hearing where he’ll put his case forward.

If the player were banned for four games today, he would return from suspension just in time to play against Arsenal, Preston’s fifth fixture from now.

But it still seems like a long shot. For a start, the ban would have to be finalised extremely quickly for Osmajic to begin serving it before Preston’s next game against Burnley on Saturday, October 5th.

If he is banned for four games after that match, he’ll miss the Arsenal fixture.

Four games also seems like a very light punishment. Luis Suarez was banned for 10 matches after his first biting offence against Branislav Ivanovic, then of Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.

If the FA opt for even just one more game than Preston want, Osmajic would miss Arsenal, regardless of whether the punishment is in place before Saturday.

In the meantime, the 25-year-old is continuing to play for Preston. He scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season against Watford on Wednesday night, helping his team to a 3-0 win.