Man City receive new Rico Lewis red card referee verdict as brutal VAR point made

Manchester City have been told that Rico Lewis was unfortunate to be sent off in the 2-2 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace. After equalising for Pep Guardiola's side in the second half, Lewis was shown two yellow cards in the space of 14 minutes which now means he will be suspended for next weekend's clash against Manchester United.

The reason for his first booking was due to dissent towards referee Rob Jones and he was then later penalised for a foul on Trevoh Chalobah. In real time it looked like a clear second yellow card with Lewis catching the Palace defender late, but replays actually showed his foot was beneath that of Chalobah's.

Guardiola was asked for his thoughts on several incidents, including the sending off after the game, but if anything left people more perplexed by his response as opposed to the actual decision. "It is because it is Rico," he repeated to the BBC on several occasions.

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Following that, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher gave his verdict while also providing clarity over why VAR could not intervene. "When you see that, you'd say yes - but looking at it close up, it's unlucky," he said on Sky Sports' Ref Watch after watching the incident.

"He doesn't catch Chalobah, it's the other way round. He's paid a heavy price for the earlier yellow card. When you see it as the referee sees it, I understand why he's sent him off, it looks like a lunging challenge. But it does expose that you can't change second yellows."

"At the moment, VAR is evolving. Whether that will come, I don't know.