Preston striker handed eight-match ban for biting Liverpool player Owen Beck

Preston's Milutin Osmajic has been suspended for eight games and fined £15,000 for admitting to biting Blackburn Rovers loanee Owen Beck of Liverpool.

BREAKING Preston striker handed lengthy ban for biting Liverpool player Owen Beck

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Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic has been handed an eight-match ban and fined £15,000 for admitting to biting Liverpool loanee Owen Beck during last month's goalless Lancashire derby with Blackburn Rovers. Beck, on loan at Blackburn for the season, was sent off late in the match for kicking out at Duane Holmes.

A melee ensued from the incident and Osmajic appeared to bite the 22-year-old amid the fracas, prompting a furious protest from the defender. Osmajic was handed a yellow card for his initial involvement in the bust-up, with the officials seemingly missing the bite act.

Speaking after the match, Blackburn boss John Eustace said: "Owen's got a big bite mark on the back of his neck. It's a shame the referee didn't see that."

Confirming the punishment a spokesperson for the Football Association said: “The forward admitted that he committed an act of violent conduct around the 87th minute by biting an opponent. An independent regulatory commission imposed his sanctions following a hearing. Its written reasons will be published in due course."

A statement from Preston in response to the ban read: "Preston North End acknowledge the decision of an independent Regulatory Commission to give Milutin Osmajic an eight-match suspension and fine the striker £15,000. The Montenegro international has been sanctioned after admitting he had committed an act of violent conduct around the 87th minute of the recent Sky Bet Championship match against Blackburn Rovers.

"The suspension means Milutin will be unavailable for selection until Saturday 23rd November for the home clash with Derby County. PNE will be making no further comment until the independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons have been published."

The eight-game ban for Osmajic in a lesser punishment than the 10-game suspension former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was given in 2013 for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. The club fined the striker but said they were "shocked and disappointed" by the severity of the FA's ban.

Beck, the great-nephew of Ian Rush, is on loan at Blackburn from Liverpool for the season and has started all three Championship games he has been available for. He is set return from the red card suspension picked up at Preston in this weekend's trip to Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle.

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