Republic of Ireland international midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn has been handed a five-match ban after being sent off for for grappling with Leicester's Hannah Cain.
The Crystal Palace player was shown a straight red card following the incident during the second half of their side's 3-0 win in their Women’s League Cup tie on 23 November.
The 35-year-old received a straight red card for grabbing Cain in a headlock and wrestling her opponent to the ground, which led to other players becoming involved in pushing and shoving at Meadow Lane.
While the standard punishment for violent conduct is a three-match suspension, the FA claimed the incident warranted a longer sanction, which the player contested.
However, an independent regulatory commission upheld the claim, set aside the standard punishment and imposed the five-match suspension following a hearing.
Speaking to the media last week, Littlejohn said that while she hadn't contacted Cain in the aftermath, she acknowledged her over-the-top reaction during the game.
"I regret letting my emotions spill over on the pitch," she told RTÉ Sport. "I'm probably quite an emotional person and player.
"I'm gutted that that spilled into the game. That's not who I want to be on the pitch."
