Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris has called on the Premier League to review the rule on hair pulling after defender Dan Ballard was sent off for tugging an opponent's braids during a 1-1 draw at Wolves. The red card, issued by referee Paul Tierney, left Sunderland with 10 men for over an hour and cost them a lead that could have boosted their hopes of European football.
Ballard was dismissed for violent conduct after pulling the braids of Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare in an aerial duel. Sunderland had taken the lead through Nordi Mukiele, but Wolves capitalised on the numerical advantage when Santiago Bueno equalised in the second half. The result leaves Sunderland 12th in the table, while Ballard faces a three-match ban that will end his season early.
Le Bris said the decision was 'hard to digest' and questioned whether the rule is fit for purpose. 'If the rule is the rule, when you have a striker with long hair, you will have problems because you can't defend,' he said. 'It was more or less the case. They executed the rule, but it's a bit hard to digest.' He added that the club would consider an appeal but acknowledged similar red cards for Michael Keane and Lisandro Martínez this season were not overturned.
Wolves remain bottom of the table after the draw, and manager Rob Edwards faced boos from fans after substituting Hugo Bueno late on. Edwards defended the decision, citing Bueno's knee problem, and said he was frustrated but determined to turn results around in the final three games.
