João Gomes was cautioned against lodging an appeal over his red card during Aston Villa's trip to Brighton last month, according to comments made by former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett. Football Insider reported on 24 August that the ex-FIFA referee believed any challenge would only increase the Brazilian midfielder's punishment beyond the expected three matches.
The incident occurred five minutes before half-time at the Amex Stadium, with Villa already trailing by four goals. Already booked, Gomes was shown a second yellow after striking out at Georginio Rutter, a decision confirmed following a VAR review by referee Peter Bankes.
Hackett told Football Insider that the dismissal was straightforward and urged the club to accept the sanction rather than risk a longer spell on the sidelines. He suggested the heavy scoreline contributed to rising frustration among the visiting players, making such flashpoints more likely.
With the summer transfer window having closed on 1 September, Villa are unable to bring in reinforcements until January 2027. Any absence for Gomes therefore places additional strain on Unai Emery's midfield options during a busy autumn schedule.
Aston Villa have not publicly commented on whether they pursued an appeal following the match.
