BBC pundit Chris Sutton believes Mike Dean made the correct decision to send West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek off against Fulham.
The Czech Republic midfielder saw red in the closing stages of the game at Craven Cottage, after catching Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic with his arm as he looked to challenge for the ball.
Soucek was left stunned as referee Dean brandished a red card following a review with the video assistant referee Lee Mason, with West Ham boss David Moyes describing the dismissal as an "embarrassing decision" after the game.
Fulham boss Scott Parker added that he too felt it was harsh, with both managers agreeing that the contact was accidental.
But Sutton has said that he can understand why Soucek was sent off, adding that while he thought it was harsh, he did think that a red card was appropriate.
“I thought it was accidental. But whether it was accidental or not, I thought it was dangerous and he did catch [Aleksandar] Mitrovic," he said, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He did get caught, you can’t have a go at Mitrovic for going down, he has been caught, whether it is accidental or not.
“I think the red card will stick. Mike Dean will say it was dangerous, whether it is accidental or not. I think it is harsh, but I think it was a red.”
Hammers boss Moyes was not impressed with the decision though, speaking out after the match to make his feelings known, having also claimed that Mitrovic had told the referee that it was accidental.
"An accidental coming together which to give somebody a red card is an embarrassing decision," the West Ham manager said.
"I am more embarrassed that VAR would tell him to go and look at it because it was certainly just a simple accident and we should have just got on with the game and nothing more."
Moyes added that he was not sure whether West Ham would appeal the decision, with Soucek facing a three-match ban under the rules for a red card shown by a referee for violent conduct.
