Arsene Wenger: 'Luis Suarez's past resulted in severe punishment'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez's past mistakes have played a part in his recent suspension by the Football Association.

The Uruguay international has been hit with a 10-match ban for biting the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Anfield.

It was not the first time that the 26-year-old has been in trouble for biting. The frontman was suspended for seven games while playing for Ajax back in 2010 for committing the same offence on PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal.

"The punishment is explainable by the severity of the the offence, by the history of the player, and as well by the proportionality of the punishment by other players that have been punished before," Wenger said in a press conference.

"I think what has gone completely against Suarez is his history, that is very heavy on the offence front and that's why he's been punished so severely. That's the only explanation I can find."

Yesterday, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers hit out at the Football Association for issuing the lengthy ban.