It is hard to argue with Isaac Hayden’s dismissal on Saturday after the event.
Yes, it was harsh on the Newcastle United midfielder, but by the letter of the law his studs-up challenge on Josh Murphy during the 0-0 draw against Cardiff City was a red card - and so it would be difficult to mount a case for having it overturned.
Kenedy should certainly have been given his marching orders during the first half after kicking out at Victor Camarasa off the ball, too, although the winger has avoided a retrospective ban.
But, even if Kenedy was not sent off, Newcastle did end the game a man down - and United fans are rightly questioning why Harry Arter did not follow Hayden for an early bath.
The Cardiff midfielder cynically - and dangerously - swiped out at Joselu, who was running away from him with the ball. Ex-referee Mark Clattenburg was adamant it was a straight-red-card offence.
Yet Arter was only booked for the incident, meaning he cannot be retrospectively suspended like Kenedy, and the failure to dismiss the Bluebirds midfielder has only added to the bizarre statistic which has afflicted Newcastle.
All football clubs have a small section of fans who perceive there to be some sort of conspiracy against their club.
But Newcastle supporters arguably have a valid reason to believe their theories have at least a modicum of truth behind them.
As of Sunday, which is Newcastle’s next match and is the first available opportunity from now for this statistic to be consigned to history, it will be almost 55 months since an opposition player was dismissed against the Magpies in the Premier League.
It is 131 Premier League games - and a staggering 1,671 days (as of the upcoming Sunday, when Newcastle host Chelsea at St James’ Park) - since an opposition player was sent off against United.
Not since Bradley Johnson was given his marching orders in the 82nd minute on January 28, 2014 - alongside Newcastle’s Loic Remy, it must be noted - after an off-the-ball incident during United’s stalemate with Norwich City at Carrow Road, has an opponent seen red against the Magpies in any competitive top-flight fixture.
More importantly, however, it is 136 top-flight games – and 1,704 days - since Newcastle played with a numerical advantage against a side due to an opposition player being sent off.
On December 26, 2013, both Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson were shown red cards before half-time, but since then the Magpies have not held a numerical advantage in any top-flight match.
This means Newcastle went through the entire 2014/15, 2015/16 AND 2017/18 top-flight seasons without an opposition player being shown a red card in the league. If you include the latter half of 2013/14, it is almost three-and-a-half seasons’ worth of matches since United held a numerical advantage in a top-flight match due to an opposing player being sent off.
This season, Newcastle have had Hayden’s dismissal already - just two games in - while last term, Jonjo Shelvey was sent off twice as United receive two red cards in 2017/18.
In fact, 17 players in total have seen red in the Premier League for Newcastle since Johnson was giving his marching orders for Norwich four-and-a-half years ago.
The red cards Newcastle United have received since the last time a Premier League player was dismissed against them:
Shola Ameobi AND Paul Dummett - May 11, 2014 (Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United)
Mike Williamson - August 23, 2014 (Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle United)
Moussa Sissoko - November 29, 2014 (West Ham United 1-0 Newcastle United)
Steven Taylor - December 6, 2014 (Newcastle United 2-1 Chelsea)
Fabricio Coloccini - March 15, 2015 (Everton 3-0 Newcastle United)
Moussa Sissoko - April 13, 2015 (Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United)
Mike Williamson AND Daryl Janmaat - May 2, 2015 (Leicester City 3-0 Newcastle United)
Daryl Janmaat – August 15, 2015 (Swansea City 2-0 Newcastle United)
Aleksandar Mitrovic – August 29, 2015 (Newcastle United 1-0 Arsenal)
Fabricio Coloccini – October 25, 2015 (Sunderland 3-0 Newcastle United)
Jamaal Lascelles - February 3, 2016 (Everton 3-0 Newcastle United)
Aleksandar Mitrovic - May 15, 2016 (Newcastle United 5-1 Tottenham Hotspur)
Jonjo Shelvey - August 13, 2017 (Newcastle United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur)
Jonjo Shelvey - December 13, 2017 (Newcastle United 0-1 Everton)
Isaac Hayden - August 18, 2018 (Cardiff City 0-0 Newcastle United)