Everton suffer blow as Allan red card appeal rejected

Everton have failed in their bid to have Allan’s sending-off against Newcastle on Thursday night rescinded or the punishment reduced.

The Brazil midfielder was originally shown a yellow card by referee Craig Pawson for his challenge on Allan Saint-Maximin late in Everton’s 1-0 victory only for VAR to advise the official go to the pitchside monitor.

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Having looked at replays Pawson overturned his decision and issued a red card.

Manager Frank Lampard disagreed, saying as Everton lodged their appeal: “In the cold light of day that is not a red card and we don’t want to lose Allan for three games.”

However, an independent regulatory panel rejected the appeal – plus a second request to downgrade the punishment for excessive punishment – and the midfielder will now serve a three-game ban, starting with Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Crystal Palace.

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Having only recently fallen foul of a VAR mistake, what Lampard does not want is another apology from referees’ chief Mike Riley.

It is only just over two weeks since Professional Games Match Officials Limited general manager Riley called Lampard and chairman Bill Kenwright to admit mistakes were made when VAR official Chris Kavanagh failed to advise referee Paul Tierney over a handball by Manchester City’s Rodri, which would have given the Toffees the chance of a late penalty equaliser.

“We had a really bad decision against us which we had an apology