Brentford’s Christian Norgaard has had his sending off against Everton overturned and now avoids a three-match ban
Brentford captain Christian Norgaard has avoided a ban after the club successfully appealed his sending off in Saturday’s goalless draw with Everton in the Premier League. Norgaard was shown a straight red card for a foul on Blues goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and would have faced a three-match suspension for serious foul play.
However, this decision has been overturned and the midfielder will now be available for the Bees’ forthcoming fixtures against Leicester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Norgaard was dismissed in the 41st minute at Goodison Park. A cross was flicked on by Ethan Pinnock across the box with Norgaard and Yoane Wissa both attacking it, with neither making contact with the ball. VAR official Matthew Donohue decided that Norgaard’s attempt to win the ball was dangerous, with his boot deemed high, having connected with Pickford, and, after referee Chris Kavanagh went to the screen to review the incident, he sent the 30-year-old off.
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After the game, Brentford manager Thomas Frank told reporters that he expected the club would appeal and claimed even some Everton players did not think the challenge was a sending off offence. The Dane said: said: “For me, it is not a red card. I must admit after watching it back, 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 Wissa. Wissa is going at the ball, just changing the direction of the ball and Pickford is over here, moving across of course, trying to save the ball.
“Christian is unlucky as his studs are on the leg of Pickford. No intention, he is actually pulling out of full force there is no intention of making a foul, just trying to score.
“You can see the reaction from Tarkowski and Calvert-Lewin, who were close by. If they thought it was a red card instantly, I promise you they would have complained, just like we would have down the other end.
“Where is that that bit of common sense? I don’t know exactly what the law of the game is, but if the law of the game is that is a red card, then the game has changed.
“Either they need to take it into account, and they need to tell my players they can’t jump in and try to score when the ball is going across the six-yard box, which I think is not good. The ref has been told to take on-field decisions, and Chris (Kavanagh) took, in my opinion, a good on-field decision but was overturned by VAR.”
Frank added: “If VAR is told studs on leg is a red card then we just need to make sure that is the procedure going forward, and we are very, very, very, very consistent with that going forward. If it is not the law or the rule then Chris was not brave enough to overturn the situation.
“On top of this, there were several Everton players after the game who were saying: ‘That is not a red card’. So, we will most likely appeal this.
“I don’t know if it’s the PGMOL who makes the law or if they’re following Howard Webb, we need to find out if that is the law going forward and as I said, the game has changed, and I don’t like it going that way. If it is not then the guys have to overturn it and if they don’t overturn it, they also have changed, so that’s my take on it.”
