Andoni Iraola makes unpopular admission after Wolves 0-1 Bournemouth

Andoni Iraola has confirmed Milos Kerkez’s three-match suspension will be appealed after the defender was sent off during Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday evening.

Kerkez was shown a straight red card by referee Stuart Attwell following a late lunge on Wolves right wing-back Matt Doherty. It took around 15 seconds for the decision to be made as Attwell wanted to be sure - and then VAR assessed it briefly - but the call stood.

The red offered a little reprieve for the Old Gold, feeling hard done-by after Attwell and VAR ruled out Hwang Hee-Chan’s equalising goal for a controversial Matheus Cunha foul. A sending-off would usually get fans back on side but the officials had already made their bed to lie in as far as the Molineux faithful were concerned.

In the end, the red had no impact on the scoreline but it has lasting effects for Bournemouth, now set to be without their number three for a hat-trick of Premier League fixtures.

“I suppose we will, yes,” Iraola said post-match when asked if an appeal would be lodged. “I’ve seen the replay and Milos arrives late but I think he tries to bend his knees at the end. 

“There’s no damage for the player. With the red card associated is not just today be missed but also three games missed. I think this is too harsh, I suppose we will appeal,” Iraola continued.

The Cherries’ head coach was firm in his perspective but the opinion isn’t exactly popular. Due to the velocity of Kerkez’s challenge, and the connection on Doherty’s ankle with studs showing, many wouldn’t argue with the red card shown. At least in the modern game, anyway.