Masch handed two-match ban

An FA disciplinary commission handed him the ban and also fined him £15,000 after the 23-year-old admitted a charge of improper conduct for his actions after being sent off in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday March 23.

The Argentinian has already served the one-match suspension for the red card itself by missing the derby match against Everton last weekend.

The sending-off at Old Trafford was the result of two yellow cards, the second of those awarded by referee Steve Bennett for dissent when Mascherano ran across the pitch to complain about a foul on team-mate Fernando Torres.

He continued to vehemently protest the decision after he had been dismissed, and had to be restrained by team-mates, officials and even manager Rafael Benitez before he eventually left for the dressing room.

The suspension will be enforced with immediate effect, meaning he will miss the Premier League matches against Arsenal on Sunday and Blackburn Rovers on April 13.