David Moyes has made his disappointment very clear after the appeal against Michael Keane’s ban for an alleged hair pull was rejected.
Keane was dismissed for being seen to pull Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare’s hair in an aerial duel with the big centre forward.
The Everton manager was speaking ahead of tomorrow lunchtime’s FA Cup Third Round clash at home to Sunderland.
He said: “I’m hugely disappointed, hugely surprised, probably more angry with the panel who chose they thought that was the case because, as a panel, I have to question the three of them.
“I know who the three of them are on the panel and I’m absolutely amazed that they didn’t, in some way, overturn it.”
Moyes also referred back to an incident between Gabriel Martinelli and Conor Bradley last night in the fixture between Arsenal and Liverpool.
He said: “To say it’s violent conduct, we’ve just seen a game last night where it’s okay to throw a ball at somebody, it’s okay to push someone and lift them up when they’ve got a bad injury but if you have a little pull of someone’s hair, accidentally, that would be a three-game ban. It’s quite extraordinary, for me.”
Everton have also today released a statement: “Whilst the majority ruling of the three-person panel to uphold the dismissal and three-game suspension is a decision we must accept, we are nevertheless surprised.”
This means the Blues boss will be without the key central defender, alongside Jack Grealish who was also shown his marching orders against Wolves for two avoidable yellow cards.
The Toffees will be missing eight senior players int Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, Carlos Alcaraz, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall through injury.
On a positive note, Moyes was optimistic that long term absentee Branthwaite is not too far away from returning to action.
The Everton boss also hinted that Jordan Pickford could start in goal for the hosts after being rested in the Carabao Cup games this season.
Moyes said: “We’ve also got other players who want to play as well, but Jordan has been the number one goalkeeper here and made an outstanding save the other night for us. We hope he’s fit and available to play.”
Sunderland will also make late calls on the availability of four returning players from AFCON, with Reinildo, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traoré and Noah Sadiki all knocked out of the competition this week.
