Fellaini charged with violent conduct by FA

(AP Photo/PA, Dave Thompson)

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini will serve a three-match ban after accepting a charge of violent conduct Monday for headbutting Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross during a Premier League game.

Match officials missed the incident, which took place as the pair jostled at a corner in the second half of Saturday's game at the Britannia Stadium, but it was caught on video and a charge was issued retrospectively by the Football Association.

"The player and the club have accepted the charge and the 25-year-old will be suspended for three (league) games against West Ham, Wigan and Chelsea," Everton said in a statement.

Fellaini, a Belgium international who has been one of the Premier League's top performers this season, apologized for his actions in a statement hours after the match, saying he had been "unprofessional."

"There was a lot of pushing and pulling going on inside the Stoke penalty area and I didn't feel I was getting any protection from the officials," Fellaini said. "Nevertheless I know I shouldn't have done what I did.

"I have also apologized to the manager and the staff. I have no excuses, I was disappointed with the way I was being treated and I lost my temper."

Fellaini was also seen on footage pushing Shawcross in the face and leaning into the England center back with his head in two separate incidents at corners. The FA, however, said the referee saw both confrontations and deemed neither to be violent conduct.

Updated December 17, 2012