Just as Jamie Vardy was poised to hit some form, the Leicester City and England striker has been handed a major setback.
The former Fleetwood frontman was sent off during Saturday’s trip to Stoke, a game in which the Foxes recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2, and many thought the dismissal was harsh.
Vardy left the ground in a challenge with Stoke’s Mame Biram Diouf, but many fans feel he should have escaped punishment on the grounds that he took the ball.
Referee Craig Pawson, who was also at the centre of a bizarre mistaken identity ruling in the same game, was criticised for showing Vardy the red card.
However the Football Association have sided with Pawson, rejecting Leicester’s appeal.
Michael Regan/Getty Images
‘Jamie Vardy will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after his wrongful dismissal claim was rejected, following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing,’ a statement reads.
The striker had scored a hat-trick one week earlier, in Leicester’s 4-2 victory over Manchester City, and Claudio Ranieri could have done without losing his number nine for the festive period.
Vardy will now miss the matches against Everton on Boxing Day, West Ham United on New Year’s Eve and Middlesbrough on January 2.
And Leicester fans have hit back against the decision, with their most famous supporter – Gary Lineker – perhaps the biggest critic of the decision.
Is there any point to the @FA appeals committee? Even when the referee is blatantly wrong they uphold the decision. Utterly pointless #Vardy
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) December 20, 2016
Vardy’s wife Rebekah also got in on the act, making her feelings known with just one word.
https://twitter.com/RebekahVardy/status/811242074204946432
And there were more complaints. A lot more.
what a load bollocks! your not even aloud to make an honest tackle in football anymore
— Josh 💙💛 (@superleedsmacca) December 20, 2016
The SAME REF let Rojo off a game before, but the FA backs up their incompetent refs ALWAYS
— SEAN FROM ENDERBY (@seanfromenderby) December 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/TonyFreestone1/status/811244544549408768
Scrooge is alive and living at the FA. So much for Christmas spirit! 😰👎
— Richard (@Richlovestrains) December 20, 2016
Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live:
