ISLAM SLIMANI will have played his last game for Newcastle United if the Football Association decide to take action over his late kick on Craig Dawson during the defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Rafa Benitez, the Magpies manager linked with being a Leicester City target yesterday, is trying to think about improving the standards of his players in the final three games of the season rather than worry about what could happen to Slimani.

Benitez does know, though, that if charged and found guilty then the Algerian striker’s disappointing half-season loan to St James’ Park is likely to have reached a premature end – with just one start and three substitute appearances behind him.

Slimani was pictured by TV cameras directing a kick at Baggies defender Dawson after a corner was floated into the visitors’ area in the dying stages of the game. The pair had jostled for position and the striker was seen to have taken the action in frustration.

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, on Match of the Day, said: “He will get a three match ban, I have no doubt about it. It’s stupid. You’ve hardly even played for Newcastle and that’s probably the last time he will play for Newcastle. It’s just daft, stupid.”

Referee David Coote missed the incident but that is unlikely to be the end of it. If the FA determine he deserves to be punished then violent conduct would carry the suspension, ruling him out of the remaining games with Watford, Tottenham and Chelsea.

That would cap a pretty frustrating period on Tyneside and it is hard to imagine Benitez asking owner Mike Ashley to invest heavily in the 29-year-old unless he avoids a ban and shines in those matches.

Slimani arrived at Newcastle on January deadline day with a thigh injury and he didn’t make his first appearance until March 31 when he emerged from the bench to help seal a 1-0 win over Huddersfield. He has been brought on against Arsenal and West Brom while his only start was at Everton a week ago.