Scott Parker discusses Burnley's CJ Egan-Riley red card appeal and his dismissal against West Brom

The defender is facing the prospect of a three-game ban after being dismissed on the final whistle during Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against West Brom.

Egan-Riley appeared to only trip Baggies striker Alex Lankshear as he ran towards goal, but referee Gavin Ward considered the foul to be violent conduct.

The Clarets have since appealed that verdict and are now expecting a decision from the FA later today.

“We've appealed CJ's red card,” Parker confirmed, speaking today ahead of Saturday’s trip to South Wales.

“To be honest with you, I think we hold a very, very strong position on that.

“At the end of the game, the player has obviously pushed CJ. The player looks like he's going to go through on goal and CJ's clipped the back of his heels.

“If this was in game at that present moment in time, it's a tactical foul. And I think worst, worst case, it’s a booking.

“Never was CJ's force violent or brutal. It was a technical foul, so I feel that CJ's been really, really harshly dealt with there with a straight red card.

“A straight red card comes under the category of a violent or brutal action. But it wasn't a stamp, it wasn't a brutal action, it wasn't a lash out. It was a trip and there was Maxi [Maxime Esteve] around it when the player was running through on goal.

“These players, they’re constantly on a knife edge of everything. They're making decisions constantly. While the whistle had officially gone, I'm not sure we can sit here and say that CJ knew that or didn't know that.

“What I do know is that that tackle, what he made, what was perceived to be brutal or in a real aggressive way, that wasn't the case.”

Given his confidence the red will be overturned, Parker says he’s currently planning to have Egan-Riley available to him for Saturday’s game against Swansea.

“At this point in time, I'll be planning with CJ because I feel that the case we've put forward and our position on where it is, I feel like we're in a very strong position,” he added.

Parker was also sent off himself after walking up to Ward at the final whistle to ask about what had happened.

The Clarets boss insists he was never confrontational or abusive, but didn’t realise he was unable to speak to the referee on the pitch at the final whistle.

Addressing the incident, Parker said: “Initially what transpired at the end of the game [with Egan-Riley], I wasn't fully aware of at the time.

“Obviously you see the commotion of practically 22 men and the commotion of what happened. My main focus at that moment was obviously trying to get some control on the situation and not let things escalate.

“The ref showed the red card to CJ and I just didn't have any awareness of what had taken place. My main focus and certainly my main concern at that moment was just trying to clear everyone.

“I apologised after the game to the referee in terms of me approaching him. I didn't realise you can't approach a referee at the full-time whistle.

“Now what I've been sent off for was not foul and abusive language or aggressive behaviour. I think it's very clear to everyone that wasn't the case.

“In fact I was in a bit of a calmer state while there were a million things going on in my head and I was trying to process a lot of things.

“Never once was I abusive, used abusive language towards him or was in any way aggressive. I was just trying to find out exactly what the situation was and trying to get some clarification on that.

“Now where I am at fault really is probably I should have waited and gone in after to get that clarification. I suppose I was a little bit too eager to really try and find out what that was and obviously approached the ref, which like I said I didn't realise I could do and he sent me off. So I'm disappointed, obviously very disappointed.

“I don't think my emotions step out of it by the letter of the law. But you can't approach a referee at the end of the game and for that, yeah, I've made a mistake there.”

Any potential punishment for Parker won’t be decided before this weekend’s game, so he will still be permitted to be in the dugout at Swansea.