Sadio Mane's Appeal of 3-Match Ban for Red Card vs. Manchester City Denied by FA

The FA has denied an appeal from Liverpool to have Sadio Mane's three-match ban overturned. Mane received a straight red card after clashing with goalkeeper Ederson during Liverpool's 5-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.

The winger was dismissed for serious foul play by referee Jon Moss, resulting in a ban, a decision upheld by the FA, per Sky Sports News:

As the image shows, Mane's foot was high, but not everybody agreed with Moss' decision. Among them, former Manchester United right-back and current Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville was angered by the decision.

Neville was co-commentating the game for Sky Sports and hit out at what he considered a knee-jerk reaction from Moss during the broadcast (h/t Liam Prenderville of the Daily Mirror):

"It's a 50-50 really and Ederson just gets there first. Sometimes a stadium can tell you if it's a bad challenge and there wasn't great reaction from anybody. I don't think that is a red card, however the goalkeeper ends up. His eyes are on the ball, it's ridiculous. He wins that challenge, the goal is there for him."

Neville concluded by railing against the impact of the red card on the game: "Jon Moss, you have just ruined the game there."

Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football (h/t James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo), ex-Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce felt the rule had been too strictly applied: "Under the letter of the law, it's a red but I think that's wrong. I don't think someone should get sent off when he doesn't intend to injure the player."

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There is no doubt Liverpool suffered without Mane. The Reds were 1-0 down when the Senegal international was sent off, but went on to ship four more goals.

Losing Mane is a tough blow for a team constructed to feed his deadly pace and perceptive movement, particularly on the break. Mane has been a major success in manager Jurgen Klopp's high-pressing, quick-passing game, scoring three times in four league matches this season, per WhoScored.com.

Mane will miss league matches at home to Burnley, away to Leicester City, as well as the Carabao Cup match against the Foxes.

Without Mane, Klopp and Liverpool will now become more reliant on summer signings Mohamed Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from wide areas.