Liverpool Suffer Another Striker Blow

Luis Suarez has been suspended by the FA for Liverpool's clash against Newcastle on Friday, after the striker accepted his one-match ban for the obscene gesture he aimed at Fulham fans at Craven Cottage on December 5<sup>th.

Suarez was photographed directing an offensive finger at the Fulham crowd at at the end of the match, which Liverpool lost 1-0, after sections of Craven Cottage chanted against the Uruguay international's alleged diving during the game.

Liverpool and Suarez were also respectively fined £20,000, with the 24 year old warned about his future conduct in the Premier League.

The Reds already have a fragile relationship with the FA, after the English footballing body banned Suarez for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United left back Patrice Evra. The Merseyside club are still waiting for the FA's notes on the aforementioned case before lodging an appeal.

The FA released a statement on Suarez being found guilty of improper conduct today, which read: "Liverpool player Luis Suarez will begin a one-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of improper conduct in relation to the same game.

"Suarez was also fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct following a gesture he made towards the Fulham fans at the end of the fixture."

Liverpool face Newcastle on Friday, and are in desperate need of three points to maintain their fight for a top four spot in the Premier League table.

While the side have some of the poorest form in front of goal in the Premier League this season, Suarez himself has been having trouble finding the net for the Reds recently; he has scored once in Liverpool's last seven matches, and the hitman has just five goals on the board for the club in the league this season.