LONDON: Controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been banned for one game – Friday’s home match against Newcastle – after admitting making an offensive gesture to Fulham fans earlier this month.

The Uruguay international has also been fined £20,000 after accepting a Football Association charge of improper conduct relating to a one-fingered sign after Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage.

Suarez already has the prospect of an eight-match ban hanging over him after being found guilty of misconduct for using insulting words to Manchester United’s Patrice Evra which contained reference to the defender’s colour.

That suspension is currently on hold as Liverpool have 14 days to appeal once they have received the written judgement from the independent commission which heard the case.

However, in the short term the 24-year-old will serve his first ban in English football – having arrived on Merseyside after sitting out seven matches for biting an opponent in Holland while playing for Ajax – when the Magpies visit Anfield.

The Fulham game on December 5 was a bad night all round for the club as, in addition to Suarez’s indiscretion, it also saw an 11-game unbeaten run ended and Jay Spearing sent off.

Spearing’s dismissal prompted a number of players to surround referee Kevin Friend to protest and led to Liverpool being charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.

They admitted the charge but did not accept the standard £20,000 fine which accompanied it but an independent regulatory commission has enforced the financial penalty

Liverpool had no comment to make on either Suarez’s ban or the imposition of a fine on the club.