Ibrahimovic accepts FA ban

MANCHESTER United will have to cope without their leading marksman for their next three domestic games after Zlatan Ibrahimovic accepted his Football Association violent conduct charge.

Jose Mourinho cannot include the suspended striker in his squad for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final trip to Chelsea, or Premier League games with Middlesbrough and West Brom after the 35-year-old was punished for an incident in Saturday's draw with Bournemouth when his elbow struck the side of Tyrone Mings' face.

Mings is also facing a suspension having landed on the Swede's head with his left boot moments earlier.

United flew to Russia yesterday and were able to include Ibrahimovic among their travelling party as his suspension does not apply to the Europa League games with FC Rostov.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was also on the plane having missed the previous two games with a hamstring injury, but Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw, both of whom started in Saturday's 1-1 draw with the Cherries, and the suspended Eric Bailly were left at home along with Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Mourinho still has to juggle his squad across three competitions and Monday's visit to his old employers Chelsea looks even more daunting now Ibrahimovic is suspended.

The former Sweden international has scored 26 times in his maiden season at Old Trafford and no other player in Mourinho's ranks has even reached double figures.

He had an off-day at the weekend, though, as he saw a second-half penalty saved by Artur Boruc after his ongoing battle with Mings had reached boiling point.