Stoke's Huth appeal rejected

Stoke defender Robert Huth is to serve a three-game ban after his appeal against a red card received during Saturday's home clash with Sunderland was rejected by a disciplinary panel today. Huth was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson after 45 minutes of the 1-0 English Premier League defeat at the Britannia Stadium for a challenge on Blacks Cats midfielder David Meyler. Stoke manager Tony Pulis opted to appeal against the dismissal after claiming there was "no intent" in Huth's challenge and that he "was nowhere near the Sunderland player." But a Football Association statement said Tuesday: "An independent regulatory commission has today dismissed the claim of wrongful dismissal of Stoke City's Robert Huth. The defender will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect following his red card for serious foul play in the game with Sunderland on February 4." Huth will now miss two league games, at Fulham this weekend and the home match with Swansea on 26 February, as well as the FA Cup fifth-round encounter at Crawley on 19 February. But he will be eligible to play in Stoke's two-legged UEFA Europa League tie with Valencia on 16 and 23 February and 23.