Middlesbrough have confirmed that they are to lodge an appeal to overturn Paddy McNair’s red card that he received against Swansea at the weekend.

Middlesbrough fell to another disappointing defeat at the weekend, this time at the hands of Swansea City as the home side ran out 3-1 winners at the Liberty Stadium.

Middlesbrough fell behind 3-1 in the 73rd-minute as Andre Ayew and Sam Surridge gave the hosts a 2-goal lead with just over quarter of an hour to play before Paddy McNair was dismissed for serious foul play after colliding with Swansea’s Matt Grimes on the touchline in the 77th-minute, putting the away side down to nine men after Marcus Browne was dismissed earlier.

The Northern Ireland international has been a crucial part to Jonathan Woodgate’s team this season and will be set to miss key home clashes against Stoke City and Huddersfield before Boro make the trip to table-topping West Brom.

However, the club have now confirmed that they are to lodge an appeal over this dismissal in the hope that it will be overturned.

Speaking to the Gazette after the defeat, Woodgate had this to say on McNair’s challenge: “Paddy's is not a red in my view, but no complaints over Marcus Browne's.

"We'll definitely be appealing Paddy's. That is a yellow card in my view.”

The club are now awaiting a decision from an independent panel on whether it will be overturned.

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The Verdict

While it appears that the red card was given on the basis that McNair took a bad swipe at Grimes’ ankles, he also appeared to connect with his elbow in what was a very poor challenge.

If the ban stands, it is a massive blow for Woodgate and Boro who are already struggling with availability issues regardless of picking up needless three-game bans for two players in the same game.