BLACKBURN Rovers chairman John Williams has called for the introduction of a sin-bin in the Premier League in the wake of David Dunn's sending off at Manchester United on Sunday.

Williams feels too many matches at the top level are being ruined by needless red cards like the one Dunn received at Old Trafford, and he believes a shake-up of the disciplinary system is needed to ensure fans get greater value for money.

Mark Hughes' side were already trailing 2-0 to United when Dunn was harshly red-carded shortly after half-time for the second of two innocuous-looking fouls - a decision which effectively wrecked the game as a spectacle for the 75,710 spectators who had paid to watch it.

Aside from denying Rovers the chance to stage a comeback at Old Trafford, Dunn's dismissal means the midfielder will also miss the trip to Fulham on Sunday week whilst he serves a one-match suspension.

Williams has since described that punishment as harsh', insisting neither challenge could be deemed malicious or dangerous, and he believes the introduction of a sin-bin, which would see a player sidelined for a stipulated period of time rather than sent-off, would be a fairer way of dealing with similar indiscretions.

The Rovers chief said: "I'm a strong believer in the sin-bin and this is a classic example of a situation where it could be used.

"It wasn't a case of serious foul play or bad sportsmanship, they were just two fairly innocuous-looking fouls.

"In this instance, I don't believe the punishment fits the crime because we not only lost David Dunn for the best part of 45 minutes against Manchester United on Sunday, he's now suspended from our next game as well, and that just doesn't feel right to me."

Dunn picked up his first yellow midway through the first half, following a tangle with United striker Carlos Tevez by the touchline.

Then seven minutes into the second half, he was booked again by referee, Chris Foy, after catching Louis Saha as the Frenchman tried to turn.

Williams said: "I guess Chris Foy will argue they were both fouls but I thought it was a bit harsh to send him off.

"As a spectacle, it killed the game totally dead from then onwards.

"United had the majority of possession after that and as our players got frustrated, it led to a couple more cards.

"There was seventy-odd thousand people in Old Trafford and I just think the vast majority would prefer to have seen eleven versus eleven.

"If we had a sin-bin, where players could be sent to cool off for period, I think it would actually add something to the game, a bit like the power-play does in ice-hockey."