Friday 13 March 2015 19:08, UK
Newcastle head coach John Carver says there was no way he could defend forward Papiss Cisse, who has been handed a seven-match ban for spitting at Jonny Evans of Manchester United.
The duo clashed at St James’ Park on 4 March and Evans appeared to spit at Cisse, who reacted in similar fashion.
Evans said he did not intend to spit at Cisse but was handed a six-match ban by an FA regulatory commission after they had studied video evidence and Newcastle’s Senegal international forward was suspended for one match extra, because he had already served a ban for violent conduct this season.
Cisse’s ban will begin with Sunday’s game at Everton and, speaking ahead of that fixture, Carver says that he knew he would not be able to mount a convincing defence of his player.
"The fact that Papiss owned up to it straight away, I wasn't going to sit here and defend him,” said Carver.
“I sat with him and I said, 'Listen, I can't defend you on this, you've done wrong and have to accept whatever punishment you get'.
"There's no place in the game for it. When you've played the game, it's one of the lowest forms of anything you can do on the pitch.
“A lot of players would have acted differently. He was provoked but retaliating in the same manner is just as bad."
However, Cisse will be missed by Newcastle in the coming weeks, having scored 11 goals this season, despite being unavailable at times due to injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.
"He was a loss at the Africa Cup of Nations and he's a loss now, as our main attacking threat,” said Carver.
"But this is a chance for others now and they've got to step up to the plate. We're putting a team out now that's giving people opportunities to score goals.
"We're getting in crosses. Manu Riviere needs one goal and he could go on a run. He never gives up and he's just got to take one, and the fact he's working hard and getting chances, that's the important bit.
"It's an opportunity for these guys to get a place in the team."
