Wes Brown's red card overturned after Sunderland appeal succeeds

LONDON -- Sunderland has succeeded in overturning the red card shown to defender Wes Brown against Manchester United on Saturday.

Brown was dismissed by referee Roger East for an apparent foul on United striker Radamel Falcao in the penalty area, although it appeared on replays that John O'Shea had been the player to impede the Colombian.

The Premier League referees' organization released a statement after Sunderland's 2-0 loss saying that East believed Brown's foul had been the crucial one.

But an independent regulatory commission convened by the English Football Association cleared Brown of any wrongdoing and he will not now have to serve a one-match suspension.