Monday 22 February 2016 11:37, UK
West Ham will appeal the red card picked up by Cheikhou Kouyate during Sunday's 5-1 win over Blackburn in the FA Cup.
Kouyate received his marching orders with 15 minutes remaining at Ewood Park after he sent Adam Henley tumbling as he was about to burst into the box.
Referee Jon Moss deemed the central midfielder had denied a goalscoring opportunity and had no hesitation in producing a straight red card - a decision Hammers boss Slaven Billic disagreed with.
"From my position, I am not happy with that," said Bilic. "I know the ball went to Randy [Darren Randolph], to our keeper, so it is definitely not a goalscoring opportunity. A foul? OK.
"But not a red card so we are going to appeal and I think we have a really strong case."
Hammers co-chairman David Gold confirmed the club's intention to appeal.
"We will appeal Kouyates red card which we believe was a mistake by the referee - I think we have a good chance," Gold wrote on his Twitter account..
"The Blackburn player wasn't going to get the ball anyway so he wasn't denied a goal scoring opportunity."
