Leeds United relegation rivals Everton will be without Brazilian midfielder Allan for two important Premier League games against the drop, after the Toffees' red card appeal was twice rejected. Allan was originally awarded a yellow card for scything down Allan Saint-Maximin in their midweek clash with Newcastle United but VAR overturned the decision and recommended a red card to be shown.
The win saw Frank Lampard's side move three points clear of the drop, but fellow relegation rivals Burnley have two games in hand and are set to face the Blues, a game which Allan will now miss. The Blues have three games in hand on Jesse Marsch's side after the Whites' win over Wolves last night.
In a statement, Everton said: "Allan’s three-match suspension has been upheld after an independent regulatory commission rejected two appeals from Everton over the midfielder’s dismissal against Newcastle United on Thursday. Allan was initially booked for an 83rd-minute challenge on Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin during Everton’s 1-0 victory at Goodison Park but, following a VAR check, the Brazilian was given a red card for serious foul play.
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"Everton’s request to overturn that decision was rejected on Friday by the commission, as was a second appeal to downgrade the ban for excessive punishment. The decision means Allan will miss Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie at Crystal Palace and next month’s Premier League trips to West Ham United and Burnley."
Despite Everton's appeals, former Premier League referee Dermott Gallagher believes VAR made the right decision. Speaking to Sky Sports, Gallagher said: "I think it falls under on-field yellow card.
"We've got to accept now that there's a new layer of scrutiny and that layer of scrutiny is look at each and every tackle and what they've done. When you look at that tackle, as the VAR shows it, you see the image of Allan with both feet off the ground flying through the air, because it's freeze-framed at that point.
"The other thing they focus on is the point of contact and again you wouldn't spot this on the field, but the point of contact they say is just above the ankle. They've made a conscious decision, this season, that contact with studs above the ankle is going to be a red card. I can understand Craig Pawson's yellow card but I think most people, if a yellow card had just been given they would have accepted that. But, as I say, with this extra layer of scrutiny, I think Allan has paid the price for VAR."
Gallagher was then asked about the lack of consistency from VAR this season, with specific reference to Luke Ayling's VAR check at Norwich City. He said: "Consistency has to be consistently right, what we said on Ref Watch on Monday night was Robert Sanchez's [foul on Luis Diaz] was a red card, so Stuart Atwell has moved on and learnt from that and given a red card. That consistency going forward has to be getting it right. Luke Ayling - it wasn't a good challenge and on another day it may well have got a red card."
