Lewis Dunk is sent off after picking up TWO yellows for dissent in Brighton’s 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest… in a week where Mail Sport launched our Stop Abusing Referees campaign

• Lewis Dunk was sent off after two bookings for dissent over a penalty decision
• Mail Sport started an agenda-setting Stop Abusing Referees campaign this week
• Have you witnessed abuse of referees? Contact [email protected] 

Lewis Dunk was given two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent during Brighton’s 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest. 

The defender was given his marching orders by Anthony Taylor after persistently challenging a penalty decision awarded to Forest. 

Brighton midfielder Jack Hinshelwood dragged Callum Hudson-Odoi to the ground and while Taylor initially waved shouts away, he gave the spot-kick after reviewing the foul at the monitor.

Dunk was irate and got in the face of Taylor before confronting fourth official Andy Davies after he was sent off – with the two yellows coming in the space of around 30 seconds.  

The flare-up comes amid Mail Sport’s campaign titled ‘Stop Abusing Referees’, which seeks to shine a light on the aggressive behaviour officials face. 

Lewis Dunk was sent off after two bookings for dissent having protested Forest being awarded a penalty

The Brighton defender got in the face of fourth official Andy Davies after his dismissal

Mail Sport has launched a campaign to stop the abuse of referees at all levels of the game

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Controversial VAR calls have been at the heart of the discussion throughout the season and referees have been subjected to unstinting abuse. 

A staggering 10,000 referees have left football in the last five years and a surge of shameful antics by top-flight managers – be it Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp, or Marco Silva – has magnified how rotten examples are set at the top. 

Gibbs-White converted the home side’s penalty after Dunk’s dismissal and while Forest couldn’t find an equaliser, being a man down made Brighton’s job harder. 

Forest had opened the scoring three minutes in through Anthony Elanga.

However, Evan Ferguson bagged an equaliser and Joao Pedro scored either side of half-time to give Brighton enough daylight and help Robert de Zerbi’s men to a third win in six games. 

The other two wins came against Ajax in the Europa League, meaning this was a much-needed first league win since September for the Seagulls. 

They have risen to seventh in the Premier League while Nottingham Forest remain 14th.  

Callum Hudson-Odoi was dragged down by Jack Hinshelwood and Anthony Taylor gave a penalty after reviewing the footage

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