The official 'Should Barnes have been sent off' poll

[Curious Orange]

BBC Sport - Highlights - Brighton 0-1 Burnley < there's the bbc coverage (around 00.32 is where the challenge is). It does look like Barnes stamped a bit, but the burnley guy should've gone! Also the ref blows a whole 2-3 seconds after the tackle actually happens (when the guys assaulting Barnes)

EDIT: Also it seems that the burnley guy is 'injured' for a second then gets back up when he realises he could get sent off so therefore making him seem the victim. Also all of the Burnley players seem to take no notice of the incident up until the referees whistle whereas the Brighton players seem somewhat incensed by what has happened (all three on the screen have their hands in the air)

Interestingly I think that that is from a different camera angle than the one shown on the Football League Show - the challenge by the Burnley player looks much worse from the camera back-right of the West Stand than it does from the centrally positioned one in that footage.

 

[B.W.]

Stamp by Barnes = off

 

[Mellotron]

Here's a paragraph from the rule book:

Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the
front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force
and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.

I think Barnes satisfied the criteria for serious foul play.

According to this rule book far more players should be sent off every week, but don't, based on "winning the ball". Go in harder than you absolutely need to, and it should be a yellow or red.