Brentford have won their appeal against the red card shown to Christian Nørgaard after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Everton.
The Brentford captain caught Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on his knee with his studs as he streched to get on the end of a ball into the box.
Referee Chris Kavanagh gave no foul but the VAR, Matt Donohue, who only began working as a video assistant in the Premier League last month, sent him to the screen to show a red card for serious foul play.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was furious with the decision to send off Nørgaard in the 39th minute, forcing his team to hold on for a point at Goodison Park.
“For me it is not a red card,” Frank said after the game.
“I see a situation where it is coming across the six-yard box, Christian’s eyes are clearly on the ball and he is stretching to try to touch it behind [Yoane] Wissa, Wissa is going at the the ball, just changing the direction of the ball.
“Chris was unlucky his studs go on the leg of Pickford. No intention, he is actually pulling out of full force with no intention of making a foul, just trying to score.
“Where is that that bit of common sense? I don’t know exactly the law of the game but if that is a red card then the game has changed.
“The ref has been told to take on-field decisions, which in my opinion was a good on-field decision but was overturned by VAR.
“If it is not the law or the rule then Chris [Kavanagh] was not brave enough to overturn the situation.”
Had he lost the appeal, Nørgaard would have been suspended for the games against Leicester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle but will now be available.
