Dundee United appeal against Ryan Edwards red card

Dundee United have appealed against Ryan Edwards’ sending-off at Tynecastle.

The defender was shown a straight red card following a VAR review of his challenge on Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday.

Referee Nick Walsh initially played on but acted after checking his monitor on the advice of video assistant Chris Graham.

The United skipper had won the ball but caught Halliday with his follow through and the former Rangers player showed off the resulting stud mark down the side of his leg.

United head coach Liam Fox said after the game: “My initial reaction was that it’s a really, really good tackle so that’s disappointing.

“The referee said it was excessive force, I just thought it was a good tackle. Maybe I’m getting old, but that’s a normal tackle in my day.”

Fox received backing in his opinion from Hearts manager Robbie Neilson.

“He went in for the ball and it wasn’t high,” Neilson said. “I might be proved wrong, but I didn’t think it was a red at the time.”

United were ahead at the time of the 29th-minute incident and went on to lose 3-1 to remain bottom of the cinch Premiership.

They have succeeded before with an appeal against a VAR-assisted red card, overturning Tony Watt’s dismissal against Motherwell in October.