West Ham's Manuel Lanzini to serve two-match ban after appeal against simulation charge rejected

Image: Manuel Lanzini will serve a two-match suspension with immediate effect

West Ham forward Manuel Lanzini has failed with his appeal against a two-game ban for 'successful deception of a match official'.

The Argentine was hit with the simulation charge after an incident during Saturday's emphatic 3-0 win at Stoke.

West Ham were awarded an 18th-minute penalty by referee Graham Scott after Lanzini went down under pressure from Eric Pieters - Mark Noble successfully converting it to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.

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Stoke boss Mark Hughes was unhappy with the decision and said after the match: "We felt that the guy has dived and the referee has bought it unfortunately."

Lanzini was subsequently charged with the "successful deception of a match official" on Monday but chose to contest the decision.

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However, an independent regulatory commission upheld the ruling at a hearing on Tuesday and the ban comes into immediate effect.

Lanzini will therefore miss Tuesday night's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and the Premier League clash at home to Newcastle on Saturday.

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Lanzini is the second Premier League player to be banned for simulation, after Everton striker Oumar Niasse was suspended last month.

Image: David Moyes had expressed his surprise that Lanzini had been charged with simulation on Monday

The commission's decision will come as a blow to West Ham manager David Moyes, who had said on Monday that he was shocked to hear Lanzini had been charged.

"I'm a bit surprised," said Moyes.

"The referee was 10 yards from the ball, nothing was blocking his vision, the defender made a challenge for the ball and didn't get it. So, I think they're going against the referee.

"The Goals on Sunday panel all said it was a definite penalty.

"I think it's strange that three people on Sunday thought it was a penalty and three people today think it probably wasn't."

Image: Everton's Oumar Niasse became the first Premier League player to fall foul of the new rules on simulation

Newly introduced this season, a simulation charge is issued when it is ruled there is clear evidence a player has dived to win a penalty or get an opponent sent off, via a straight red card or second yellow.

Footage of the incident is viewed independently by one ex-manager, one former player and an ex-match official, and they must unanimously agree for a charge to follow.

If the player contests the charge a separate panel hears the case.

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