Spurs to appeal against Sullivan red card

Tottenham are to appeal against Neil Sullivan's sending-off in the action-packed 4-2 home win over Newcastle.

Referee Steve Bennett red-carded the Scotland keeper at White Hart Lane with Newcastle goalscoring duo Nolberto Solano and Kieron Dyer - the man who fell under Sullivan's challenge - also dismissed.

Television replays revealed that Sullivan made contact with the ball, a point pushed by manager George Graham, as Dyer tumbled to the turf early in the second half.

"The referee sees what he sees and he has to make a decision on that," said Graham.

"I have seen a re-run of the incident and the goalkeeper actually touched the ball. It probably looked like a sending-off but he doesn't have a video to help him out," he added following Spurs' first win in seven Premiership matches.

Now the Orpington official will be asked to review his decision and prevent Sullivan serving a suspension.

Dyer beat substitute Ian Walker from the spot to make it 3-2 but soon followed Sullivan down the tunnel for the use of abusive language to a linesman.

His ejection was more clear-cut, as was Solano's if adhering to the letter of the law, the Peruvian's arm preventing a thunderous close-range header from Gary Doherty making it 3-1 during an action-packed match.

A Doherty header, a Darren Anderton penalty - he missed the one for Solano's indiscretion - and a sublime goal from Sergei Rebrov, within eight first-half minutes, turned the game on its head after Solano's opener and Les Ferdinand sealed the three points with a close-range header near the end as nine-man United ran out of puff.