Middlesbrough have confirmed via their official website that the club have lodged an appeal to the FA over Rudy Gestede’s three-match ban, with the Teessiders hopeful of overturning the decision.  

Gestede was dismissed during the first-half of Saturday’s clash with Norwich City, with Mike Jones citing a clash with Grant Hanley as serious foul play, which resulted in his red card.

Boro have now confirmed that they have appealed the red card and suspension, submitting evidence to the FA as to why they think the decision should be overturned.

Should Boro’s appeal fail, Gestede, 29, would miss the clashes with Reading, Cardiff City and Hull City in the coming weeks, whilst he serves his three-match suspension.

The striker was dismissed in the 28th minute of Saturday’s clash at Carrow Road, with Tom Trybull scoring the winning goal for Norwich later in the first-half, as the Canaries denied Boro a vital result.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat left Tony Pulis’ side ninth in the Championship table, with Boro now sitting six points adrift of the play-off zone after 30 fixtures of the season.

The Verdict  

The referee judged Gestede’s foul as serious and was quick to give the striker his marching orders for a lunging tackle.

Whether Boro’s appeal is successful remains to be seen, but it is easy to understand the thinking behind their appeal, with Pulis preparing for a key run of fixtures without a key player.

Boro’s top-six hopes hang in the balance, and the coming weeks could be vital.

Middlesbrough fans… Let us know your thoughts!