Blackpool decide whether or not to appeal Sonny Carey's red card during Burnley draw

The 21-year-old was dismissed six minutes from time for a cynical trip on Ian Maatsen to stop a late counter-attack.

Maatsen was also shown his marching orders after forcibly barging Carey to the ground.

Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier was dismissed for a similar challenge on Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne on Sunday.

However, the red was downgraded to a yellow following a VAR review.

This sparked calls from Blackpool fans for the club to lodge an appeal against Carey’s red, which they’ve now decided to do following internal discussions after reviewing the footage.

The Gazette understands referee Keith Stroud deemed Carey’s challenge to be “serious foul play” – which carries a three-match ban.

If Blackpool’s appeal is unsuccessful, this could be upgraded to a four-game ban, although that isn’t set in stone.

According to the rules, serious foul play is defined as: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.

“Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”

When asked for his view on the incident after Saturday’s game, head coach Michael Appleton told The Gazette: “I genuinely haven’t seen it back yet, so I will make my proper thoughts on it once I do.

“I see what Sonny is trying to do, he’s trying to stop their momentum and their counter-attack. It probably sounded worse than what it was.

“I was just joking in the dressing room that I’ve not seen Sonny make a tackle in the 10 weeks I’ve been here at the football club, whether it’s in training or in a game.

“He’s not that type of lad, he’s not a cynical player in any way, shape or form.

“It could have gone either way but I suppose the reaction of their player helped us a little bit because it could have quite easily been 11 v 10.”