FA reject Degen’s red card appeal

The FA have rejected the reds’ appeal over Philipp Degen’s red card against Fulham.

Liverpool’s defence had been that the challenge on Clint Dempsey merited a yellow, not a red card.  However the FA disciplinary committee ruled in the favour of referee Lee Mason.
Roy Hodgson the Fulham manager said after the game:

“It was a lunging tackle. It wasn’t dangerous because Dempsey did so well to get out of the way. I don’t think there was anything vicious about it.

“Had he not been sent off I certainly wouldn’t have been protesting, but on the other hand I can’t say the referee made a bad decision, either.”

Because the sending off was for ’serious foul play’ Degen faces a 3 match ban which starts from the Birmingham game on Monday.