The Welsh international midfielder, who cost the top division new boys �2.5m from Leicester City, was ruled out due to his poor disciplinary record.

He collected his 15th booking of the season in the final match of the Foxes' 2001/2 campaign against Tottenham and is therefore obliged to serve a two-match ban.

As a result he will miss the clashes against both Arsenal and Blackburn.

He explained: "I'll be missing at the start of the season because I picked up that 15th yellow card in a game I didn't need to play in.

"Leicester were already relegated to Division One and I was on 14 bookings before the Spurs game and I could have said that I didn't want to risk things with this season in mind.

"I decided to play and give it everything and now I will miss the first two games. But that's me. I love football and I'll carry on playing it the way I always have done - giving 150%."

Savage also faces a misconduct charge from the Football Association, which will be heard on Friday.

The former Leicester playmaker will be up before the FA after using the referee's toilet at Filbert Street on 20 April before a game against Aston Villa last season.

Savage's defence is that he was suffering with an upset stomach at the time.