Brentford Appeal Against Igor Thiago Red Card Rejected

The Football Association have rejected an appeal from Brentford against the sending off of Igor Thiago in Sunday afternoon's 2-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. 

The dismissal of Thiago was the third team Brentford have seen a player sent off this season, with both Yehor Yarmoliuk and Vitaly Janelt red carded in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.

The Brazilian initially received a yellow card from referee Michael Oliver after an altercation with Chema Andres in the 23rd minute, however after a VAR review was adjudged to have pushed the Spanish midfielder in the face leading to a red card. Brentford went on to lose the game 2-0. 

Despite the contact made with the face of Andres, questions were raised as to how deliberate said contact was, with a potential argument saying Thiago could have purely been looking to push the midfielder off of himself upon being provoked and that it was not a deliberate push in the face on the 25-year-old's part. 

Although Brentford evidently viewed the decision as harsh enough to feel there were grounds for an appeal, the FA's rejection of the appeal ensures Thiago must now serve a three game ban. 

Brentford's number nine will now miss the Premier League fixtures with Everton, Manchester United and Arsenal. 

The suspension of Thiago against Everton will be of relief to Toffees' head coach David Moyes, whose side saw Thiago score five goals in two games against them last season, including a hat trick in Brentford's 4-2 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium. 

Thiago enjoyed a fantastic season in West London last campaign, scoring 25 goals in all competitions and finishing runner up to Erling Haaland in the race for the Premier League golden boot. 

Unfortunately the Brazilian has struggled to rediscover that form so far this season with only two Premier League goals to his name in the first ten games, with frustration now set to only grow stronger in the coming weeks with the rejection of Brentford's appeal meaning the striker will not play again until December. 

The absence of Thiago means Brentford will now have to look for an alternate solution up top for the first time in the Premier League since the departure of Yoane Wissa to Newcastle United, with Thiago featuring in 48 consecutive Premier League games, starting all but one, prior to his sending off at Brighton. 

The most likely replacement at this stage will be Callum Wilson, who joined the Bees in the summer, and has three goals in three games for Keith Andrews' side when starting in the Carabao Cup. 

Upon his arrival from West Ham United, Wilson spoke of his desire to join the Premier League 100 Club, with the 34-year-old currently on 95 Premier League goals, just five shy of a remarkable milestone. It may just be that three games without Thiago gives Wilson the chance to pull himself ever closer to the 100 goal mark. 

The suspension of Thiago is however unlikely to bear many opportunities to highly rated teenage striker Kaye Furo, who is unfortunately still out injured after undergoing surgery on a metatarsal issue. 

Available alternatives could also come in the form of a position change for wingers Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara, with the latter having impressed in a central role in his time at AFC Bournemouth. 

Brentford's first game without Thiago comes in just under two weeks time at home to Everton on a Monday night after the international break.