Sunderland came from 2-0 behind to beat Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light

Lewis Cook was sent off violent conduct in stoppage time of Sunderland’s comeback win over Bournemouth, it has been confirmed.

Cook was sent off for a foul on Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki, and the Premier League match centre have released a statement confirming that the decision was checked by VAR. They say that Cook was deemed to have deliberately struck Sadiki with an elbow, leading to his dismissal.

It means that Cook will now face a three-match ban.

The statement said: “The referee’s call of red card to Cook for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that the action was a deliberate elbow to the face of Sadiki.”

It was a game of high drama and controversy, with head coach Andoni Iraola and two members of his backroom staff shown yellow cards for their protestations throughout the contest. Sunderland had fallen 2-0 down but got back into the game after Alex Scott fouled Reinildo inside the box. The referee awarded a penalty and after a lengthy VAR check, the decision stood.

Enzo Le Fee scored from the spot, with goals from Bertrand Traore and Brian Brobbey in the second half securing the three points for Sunderland.

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What Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said about penalty controversy

Iraola criticised the decision after the game, and VAR’s decision not to intervene.

“The penalty, there is a foul five seconds before. And when you call a penalty and the VAR is checking five minutes.. I really expected to overturn it, because when you are checking five minutes, they know it's a mistake, but they don't know if it's a big enough mistake for the VAR to intervene or not. I think they are in this process, because otherwise, you don't spend five minutes checking a penalty.

I”f you are a Bournemouth supporter or you were at the match [with] Bournemouth today, I think everyone would get a yellow card or a red card. I got a yellow card, my assistants, I think got a yellow card.

"I think the players, you have to have your head level, but I think it has been so influential in the referee today. I wanted to score the 3-3, so I could even complain more about the referee. Now, when you lose, it looks like [an excuse] but I think he has absolutely lost control of the game.

"I think, starting with the penalty, but it's not even one decision. The other day we discussed about the red card of [West Ham United's] Kilman or not, but OK it's one decision. The third goal is coming from a foul on the halfway line, there is nothing there. There is a part where we have to look at ourselves, especially defensive set plays, it's costing us a lot. Last games, a lot, I think 80% of the goals we conceded last three or four games came from set plays. But there is a part where absolutely the referee has been very influential, very, very influential."

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