Mario Balotelli did not play in Manchester City’s League Cup semi-final with Liverpool last night after accepting a violent conduct charge.

The Football Association confirmed to Press Association Sport that City informed them they would not be challenging the four-match suspension, punishment for Balotelli’s apparent stamp on Tottenham’s Scott Parker at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

In addition to last night’s game at Anfield, Balotelli will also miss the Premier League encounters with Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa.

City assistant manager David Platt had hinted at the course of action on Tuesday, although it is believed City officials debated long and hard about it yesterday as they are still not entirely convinced referee Howard Webb failed to spot the incident last weekend.

Even so, it would be a difficult case to argue given Webb states otherwise and there was a possibility the ban could be extended for a frivolous appeal.

It is unlikely to sit well with the Italian though.

Yesterday, his agent Mino Raiola accused Webb of being a “coward” and added: “If the English don’t start to protect Mario more, we will have to look at other alternatives and leave the UK.”