Confusion over McAuley red

Posted Sunday, March 22, 2015 by Foxsports.com

McAuley was shown a straight red card in the second minute of their clash at Manchester City, seemingly for the foul committed by Craig Dawson on striker Wilfried Bony as the last defender.

Bony robbed the ball legitimately from Dawson and was clean through on goal before he was pulled back and tripped by the centre-back.

Swarbrick let play continue but stopped proceedings seconds later after Bony lost his advantage, and then showed McAuley, who was protesting with the referee along with several other West Brom players, a straight red card.

West Brom questioned Swarbrick's decision on their official Twitter feed, posting: "2' RED CARD: Gareth McAuley is wrongly sent off for Albion after Craig Dawson commits a foul on Wilfried Bony."

The incident comes after Sunderland successfully won an appeal against the wrongful dismissal of Wes Brown during Sunderlands defeat to Manchester United on February 28.

The referees association was forced to dispute claims that official Roger East sent off Brown when he actually should have dismissed John OShea, who committed a foul on Radamel Falcao in the box that resulted in Wayne Rooney converting a penalty.

A statement from the body, which manages Premier and Football League referees, on March 1 said: As he thought Brown made a foul on Radamel Falcao, as he was in the act of shooting, he dismissed Brown.

But East admitted that he sent off the wrong player for former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet, who, after winning the appeal, said: Everyone was very honest, the referee and the referee's association the FA and the Premier League and that's what we want. We want to live by the rules.