A red card shown to Pascal Struijk in Brighton's 2-0 win over Sunderland earlier this month has produced a remarkable split — two separate independent panels have now reached opposite conclusions over whether the Brighton defender should have been dismissed.

Struijk was sent off in the second half after VAR Neil Davies intervened to recommend an on-field review. Referee Thomas Bramall, who had initially allowed play to continue, watched several replays and showed Struijk a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The ruling was that Struijk had fouled Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor as the ball ran through to Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

The red card overturned — then defended

Brighton successfully appealed the decision on grounds of wrongful dismissal. An independent regulatory commission, convened through the FA to handle disciplinary matters, overturned both the red card and the subsequent one-match ban.