Sofiane Feghouli has Manchester United red card overturned and could face Manchester City on Friday night

The Algerian winger's first Premier League start lasted just 14 minutes but he has now had his three-game ban quashed

Feghouli had his three-game ban overturned by the FA (West Ham United via Getty Images)

Sofiane Feghouli has had the red card awarded to him in West Ham's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United overturned, and is now available to play against United's cross-town rivals Manchester City in Friday night's FA Cup third round tie.

The Algerian winger was harshly dismissed just 14 minutes into his first Premier League start when he went in for a 50-50 tackle with Phil Jones.

But the Hammers appealed his punishment and, after consulting television replays, the three-game ban was overturned.

While they will be able to count on Feghouli again, it doesn't change the result against United which West Ham manager Slaven Bilic feels was swayed by the early decision.

“I was very surprised,” Bilic said of the decision. “You know me, I’m the first one who says [referees] have a difficult job, and every time we look at a slow motion I go: ‘Yeah, they don’t have that in real time.’ But I said it then – I wouldn’t have been happy with a yellow. I said it to the fourth official and to [José] Mourinho, it’s not a yellow. If it was yellow I’d be asking: ‘Why a yellow so early in the game for basically nothing?’ And you have to know it’s Feghouli – he very rarely makes a foul.”

Bilic did not see a replay of the incident until after full-time and even went as far as to suggest that Jones, who writhed in pain, appearing to be hurt by the tackle, was attempting to deflect attention from his own misjudgment. “After the game, when I saw it, it gave me proof that I’m right,” Bilic said. “The more times I’ve seen it, it’s the other way round. It was Jones who made a more dangerous tackle than Feghouli, like a scissor. He got the ball, OK, but that was dangerous. Maybe his reaction was to save himself, but definitely not a red card.”