Hair pulling appears to be the latest trend in the Premier League as Ballard, 26, became the second player to be shown a straight red for such an offence.
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Man United’s Lisandro Martinez was the first, pulling the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Leeds’ 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
Calvert-Lewin was then one the other end of a similar controversy after he escaped punishment for doing the same to Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella in Leeds’ 1-0 FA Cup defeat.
Ballard was given his marching orders just 24 minutes into Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with Wolves for appearing to pull the hair of Tolu Arokodare.