BLACKBURN Rovers' chairman John Williams has called for video technology to be introduced into the professional game following Zurab Khizanishvili's controversial sending off at Liverpool on Saturday.

Williams believes match referee Mark Halsey might have acted differently had he been able to consult a video replay of the incident that led to Khizanishvili's first half dismissal at Anfield.

The game was delicately poised when Halsey showed the Georgian international a red card after he brought down Djibril Cisse as he was about to burst into the penalty area at the Kop end of the ground.

The Bolton official acted on the basis that Cisse was denied an 'obvious goalscoring opportunity', but TV replays later showed the Frenchman was heading away from goal when contact was made and Khizanishvili should therefore have been booked rather than given a straight red.

Rovers have since appealed against the decision and they were hoping to get the red card rescinded at a special hearing today, which would leave Khizanishvili free to face Birmingham this weekend.

But, even if the FA's disciplinary commission were to rule in Rovers' favour, that would be of scant consolation to manager Mark Hughes and his players, whose hopes of recording a third straight Premiership win were effectively dashed as a result of Halsey's error.

That's why Williams wants video replays introduced in the Premiership to eliminate the chances of such errors being made in the future.

"I'm very much an advocate for the use of technology," said the Rovers chairman today.

"I don't want to undermine referees, I want to assist them, and I just think we're getting left behind by other sports like cricket in this area.

"The classic situation for using a replay occurred in the game between Wigan and Newcastle on Saturday, when there was a debate as to whether Alan Shearer's header had crossed the line.

"But I, personally, wouldn't draw the line at just that. I think there are other occasions when it could be used as well.

"I'm mindful of the fact we don't want to keep interrupting the game unduly, but if it helps referees to get decisions right then I don't see why we shouldn't embrace it."