McAllister red card struck off

Graham Poll has been dealt a humiliating reversal by the Football Association's new video watchdogs over his decision to send off Liverpool's Gary McAllister last Monday.

Graham Poll has been dealt a humiliating reversal by the Football Association's new video watchdogs over his decision to send off Liverpool's Gary McAllister last Monday.

The video appeals panel has lifted a three-game suspension on McAllister for violent conduct after reviewing the case. Poll sent the Scotsman off for a tackle on Arsenal's Patrick Vieira in the stormy game at Highbury on Monday and subsequently stood by his decision.

The FA asked Poll to review the foul, but he said his decision was correct, and even backed it up with an explanation for why he refused to change his mind. Liverpool appealed and McAllister claimed he did not intend to hurt Vieira and pulled his left leg away rather than make contact. The panel has backed McAllister's version of events.

It is a decision that may have repercussions for the Fifa-list official. Poll had already admitted he was wrong to give Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann a second yellow card, which meant he does not receive a ban either.

Vieira's red card from the game remains as his offence was two bookings and there is no appeals procedure for him. Gilles Grimandi, who was pictured stamping on McAllister's hand after the tackle, now faces a misconduct charge. Vieira has also had his appeal against his red card for catching Sunderland's Darren Holloway with his arm in the first game of the season rejected by the panel.

In a busy week of indiscipline, Preston and Sheffield United face charges for a mêlée during their game last Saturday.

The panel's recommendations still have to be confirmed by a disciplinary commission, which could overrule them. However, while the FA councillors and the one independent member with legal experience who sit on disciplinary commissions may take their own views, they would take the panel's advice seriously.

The panel of 12 comprisesformer referees, players and managers, three of whom are chosen each week to give their views on incidents shown to them individually by the FA. One former player, one former referee and one former manager are on each of the weekly video review panels.

The four former players are Sir Geoff Hurst, Gary Mabbutt, Brian McClair and Paul Parker. The four former managers are Roy Evans, Mike Walker, Frank Clark and John Duncan.

The four former referees are Ken Ridden, who used to be director of refereeing at the FA, as well as Gary Willard, Allan Gunn and Ray Lewis. It is not known which three panel members were involved in making the first recommendations, which are passed to the FA chief executive Adam Crozier before he sends them on to the disciplinary commission or decides whether to bring charges.

Indeed, no panel member ever knows the identity of the other two members who are sitting that week. They are consulted individually, with videotapes sent to them.