ALEX McLeish will appeal against Chris Herd’s controversial red card in Ason Villa’s derby defeat to West Brom after studying replays of the alleged stamping offence from all available angles.

McLeish was fuming when referee Phil Dowd sent off Herd 36 minutes into Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat after assistant Darren Cann decided he deliberately trod on Albion defender Jonas Olsson.

Herd will receive a three-match ban for violent conduct if the decision is upheld and the utility player would miss the trips to Sunderland and Tottenham either side of Norwich’s visit to Villa Park.

But McLeish is confident of having the red card rescinded after seeing re-runs of the supposed offence from a variety of different camera positions on Saturday evening.

“I spoke to Phil,” said McLeish. “He will look at it again. We will see what the outcome is of the re-runs.

“The slow-motion one indicated that Chris was extricating his foot from Olsson’s grasp. I just could not see a stamp in that situation.

“Phil never saw it. He never saw Olsson’s punch on Chris’s shoulder. It’s difficult for a referee to see everything but the linesman saw the alleged stamp.

“I didn’t see Olsson rearing up like a big wounded animal. He’s a big warrior, the guy, I’m sure he would have been aggrieved at something like that.

“But he didn’t seem to react, it looked as if he was just stopping Chris making a quick getaway.”

McLeish admits Villa’s players and fans must try to develop a siege mentality to help the team come through periods of adversity.

“You have got to believe,” he said. “It’s about having that belief, these are the things we are building on with the squad and some of the players. This mental strength is vital at the top level.