Brighton & Hove Albion defender Pascal Struijk has had his red card from Saturday's Championship match at Sunderland overturned, after a successful wrongful dismissal appeal.

Struijk was sent off in the 57th minute at the Stadium of Light after VAR Neil Davies intervened to flag a potential foul on Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor, who was attempting to run onto a through-ball. Neither referee Thomas Bramall nor his assistant had called a foul in real time, but after reviewing the incident on the pitchside screen, Bramall showed Struijk a straight red card for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

The decision was met with immediate disbelief from Brighton players, and the club subsequently lodged a wrongful dismissal claim — which has now been upheld. Struijk will serve no ban and will be available to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend.

Brighton's summer signing cleared

Struijk joined Brighton from Leeds in a £20 million transfer during the summer and had been making only his second Premier League start for the club when the controversy unfolded.

Despite finishing the match with ten men, Brighton produced a commanding performance to win 2-0 and maintain their impressive early-season form. The Seagulls currently sit third in the Premier League table, five points adrift of leaders Manchester City.