Manchester City have backed Vincent Kompany and have lodged an appeal against the sending off of their skipper during the Premier League champions’ 2-0 win against Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates stadium.
Kompany was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean who adjudged to be a two-footed rash lunge on Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.
City submitted their appeal today and will have to showcase their evidence in support of their claim of the wrongful dismissal before the matter reaches FA’s independent regulatory commission to decide whether or not the red card should be rescinded.
Kompany meanwhile took to Twitter to plead his innocence insisting a contact is “inevitable” if two players go for a fifty-fifty challenge. He wrote:
“I will never pull out of a challenge, as much as I will never intend to injure a player.”
Mancini, who has had problems with refereeing decisions in the past, shared the same view too. He was quoted in the press:
“It was absolutely not a red card. He went into the tackle, anticipating the opponent, and took the ball first.
“I do not know how it is possible to get a red card like this. It was hard to see from the bench but I have seen it again.
“We will appeal, because it is impossible to lose a player for three games for nothing. It is not a red card.
“This tackle is football. I am 48, but I can see very well. He went in with one foot. I think we can win the appeal. It is easy, it is correct.”
If the decision is upheld, City will lose the Belgian as a result of three statutory ban and will miss Premier League games with QPR and Fulham and the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Crystal Palace or Stoke City.
Dean also showed red card to Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny for hauling Edin Dzeko in the six-yard-box but according to Mancini that was well in accordance with the rules while the Gunners manager Arsene Wenger refused to elaborate on that matter.
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