Match of the day pundit Danny Murphy has slammed the decision to give Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma a straight red card for his challenge on Jamal Lewis in the 3-0 win over Newcastle yesterday.

Bissouma, was originally given a yellow by referee Kevin Friend after he missed his attempted flick at the ball and caught Lewis in the face.

However, VAR recommended Friend have a look at the challenge on the pitchside monitor and after six or seven slow motion replays, the referee upgraded it to a straight red card for violent conduct.

Speaking on Match Of The Day 2 last night, Murphy was totally outraged by the decision.

He said: “It is an accident first and foremost; we are all 100% agreed on that.

“If there is a rule that makes this violent and gives him a three-match ban, then the rules should be changed.

“It is a ludicrous decision, that cannot be deemed the same as two-footing someone or elbowing a player in the face.

“He is going to miss three games now.

"Yes it is a bit silly but he is stood still, there is no sprint or momentum towards the man, it wasn’t a high kick or a running jump towards the ball.

“It is a flick out at the ball a completed accident, he doesn’t even know the man is there.

“The fact the referee has sent him off because he is probably trying to interpret this law is ludicrous, it is a shambles of a decision.”

Fellow pundit on the show former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer agreed with Murphy.

He said: “It is silly, it is accidental and I thought the referee got it correct the first time around when he showed him the yellow card.

“I didn’t think it deserved a straight red card and he is going to miss three games for that, which I think is very harsh.”