Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has accepted his red card against West Brom but will contest the automatic three-match ban.

City striker accepts red card but appeals against three-match ban

Mario Balotelli has accepted his red card against West Brom but will contest the automatic three-match ban. The Manchester City striker was sent off in the 63rd minute at The Hawthorns on Sunday after kicking out at Youssouf Mulumbu. The dismissal tarnished what had been a fine afternoon for the Italian after he scored both goals in a 2-0 victory for Roberto Mancini's side. Mancini later criticised the decision of referee Lee Probert to give Balotelli his marching orders and made it clear he was planning an appeal. It has now emerged that the 21-year-old is not trying to overturn the red card and is happy to serve a one-match suspension. Balotelli will therefore definitely miss Wednesday night's eagerly-anticipated derby at home to Manchester United. However, he hopes to be back in contention for the clash with Birmingham on Saturday after deciding to appeal against the three-match ban that automatically accompanies a straight red card for violent conduct. The claim will be heard by an independent regulatory commission of the Football Association on Tuesday. If Balotelli is unsuccessful he will have to sit out the trip to Fulham later this month as well as the games against United and Birmingham.