Preston North End’s Milutin Osmajić facing lengthy suspension for allegedly biting opponent

Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajić has been charged by the English Football Association with “violent conduct” after allegedly biting Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck.

The incident in question happened in the 89th minute during Saturday’s 0-0 draw in the Championship between the two teams. Beck told the referee that Osmajić had bitten him moments after Beck was given a straight red card for kicking an opponent.

Osmajić was given only a yellow card by the referee. Beck, according to Blackburn manager John Eustace, was sporting a bite mark on the back of his neck following the game.

“It’s a shame the referee didn’t see that,” Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire. “It’s a very serious incident, no one likes to be bitten … I think it shows how the emotions can take over and players get carried away with themselves.”

Osmajić and Preston have until 6 p.m. local time on Monday to respond to the FA’s charge.

Given the time that Preston have before deciding to accept the charge, Osmajić will be available for their Saturday match against Millwall, according to manager Paul Heckingbottom.

Souleymane Doukara, then of Leeds United, was been banned for eight matches in 2016 after he was found guilty of biting Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta.

Luis Suárez has been punished three times during his career for separate biting incidents. While playing for Eredivisie side Ajax in 2010, he was banned seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal’s shoulder. Three years later, while with Liverpool, he was suspended 10 games for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanović on the arm.

Perhaps most famously, Suárez was banned four months in 2014 after he was caught on video biting Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s match against Italy in the World Cup.