, Pickford wins red card appeal

Pickford wins red card appeal

Preston North End goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has won his appeal over the red card he picked up in Sunday’s defeat to Leeds, reports the Lancashire Telegraph. 

He was sent off in the 31st minute of the Championship clash when he was adjudged to have purposely handled the ball outside the area and in the process, denied Leeds frontman Chris Wood a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Preston appealed to the FA, claiming it wasn’t a clear goalscoring opportunity as they had defenders covering and that the ball had in fact hit Pickford on the chest.

The case went before an FA disciplinary panel this afternoon and the appeal was upheld, meaning that Pickford’s suspension has been overturned.

North End boss Simon Grayson said:

“We have a lot of footage where we agreed among ourselves that the ball hit Jordan’s chest.

“The referee’s report said he sent him off for deliberate handball and also denying a goalscoring opportunity.

“We went with the case that it wasn’t deliberate handball – it hit him on the chest – but also the direction where Wood was heading the ball was to Jordan’s left where Paul Huntington was coming around on the cover and Wood wouldn’t have got to it.”

Preston have been proven correct by the findings and will be delighted to have Pickford back from his ban.

The 21 year old, who has featured for England Under 21s in the past, has been in exceptional form this season for newly promoted Preston.

He is currently on loan from Sunderland and it is believed that he will be recalled by Sam Allardyce in January, whilst other top flight clubs including Spurs and Manchester United have been linked with a move for him.

Preston’s form has improved of late despite their defeat to Leeds and they currently lie 16th in the second tier.

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