Brighton & Hove Albion defender Pascal Struijk is available for Sunday's derby after his red card was rescinded. An independent Regulatory Commission upheld the club's claim of wrongful dismissal on Tuesday, removing his one-match suspension.
Brighton & Hove Albion said in a statement: "Brighton can confirm that an independent Regulatory Commission has upheld a claim of wrongful dismissal in relation to Pascal Struijk and removed his one-match suspension." The decision overturns the sending-off from last weekend's 2-0 win at Sunderland.
Struijk was shown a straight red card in the 57th minute of that match. Referee Tom Bramall, after being advised to review the incident by VAR official Neil Davies, judged the summer signing from Leeds United to have denied Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor an obvious goalscoring opportunity. The commission's ruling means that decision has been overturned.
The news is a significant boost for a Brighton side sitting third in the Premier League standings with 13 points from six games. Struijk, who had started the last three matches in all competitions, will now be free to face bitter rivals Crystal Palace at home. The Seagulls' recent form of four wins and a draw from their last five league games will be tested in a fixture they lost 1-0 at home last February.
Struijk would have been available for Thursday's Conference League opener against Kauno Zalgiris regardless, as the suspension applied only to domestic competition. His return strengthens Roberto De Zerbi's defensive options ahead of a key period, with the manager now having his full squad to choose from. The Dutch centre-back is now set to feature against a Palace side currently 12th in the table, and his availability is a major positive as Brighton prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
The report in full is at The Athletic
