Paul McShane is convinced he should be playing when Crystal Palace come to Withdean scenting revenge.

The young Albion defender, man-of-the-match and match-winner when the Seagulls won at Selhurst Park recently, has been told his one-game ban counts for the return meeting with Palace on Sunday, November 20, after picking up five bookings so far this season.

That has got to be devastating news for the Irish teenager, especially as he feels his two most recent cautions were unjustified.

McShane was clearly incensed when he was shown yellow by referee Brian Curson in the first half of Tuesday's draw with Wolves.

And not surprisingly. He knew he was heading for a ban the moment Curson called him over, convinced he was the guilty party in a brief flashpoint with Leon Clarke, who was also booked.

McShane revealed: "After the game in the dressing room I was upset because I don't want to miss any games.

"You never know, I could be out for one game and then not get back in the side if people play well. Hopefully I'll get back in.

"Leon Clarke, when he was getting up, put his whole weight on my face with the palm of his hand.

"I just reacted and the referee booked both of us.

"I was very unhappy because he is the one who started it all but the easy way out is booking both of us.

"I knew straight away it was a ban.

"You get sent a letter by the FA saying how many bookings you've got so when I got that yellow card I was quite disappointed about it."

McShane's previous yellows came against Crewe, Preston, Sheffield United and Cardiff.

And it was the caution picked up against the Bluebirds and Michael Ricketts which really rankled.

The Sports Argus report of that game suggested McShane was unlucky to be booked and Ricketts could easily have seen red. And that tallies with McShane's recollection of being on the receiving end.

He said: "Ricketts kneed me in the head and I just got up.

Wayne Henderson grabbed him and I got booked for getting kneed in the head.

"Those are silly bookings. Sometimes maybe we should appeal.

"Referees make mistakes and are only human but I think I should be on three yellow cards, not five."

Seagulls boss Mark McGhee admitted it was unrealistic to assume a centre back would go until Christmas without picking up five bookings in the hurly burly of the Championship. But it can be done.

Albion's other stopper, Guy Butters, has now played 25 successive first team matches without a caution, dating back to the home defeat by Reading last March.

Between them, the veteran ex-Spur and the Manchester United youngster have formed a pretty effective partnership at the back.

But McShane admitted they came under increasing pressure as Wolves attempted to salvage a point and keep their faltering play-off hopes just about on course.

He said "It was sickening to see the equaliser go in because it has happened to us in previous games as well. We seem to be leading and then let a goal in. Hopefully, luck changes and we start winning games.

"But the good thing is we're playing well.

"Wolves changed to 4-3-3 and were a more attacking side. I thought Seol, the Korean, gave us a lot of trouble down that side.

"They didn't have that many clearcut chances but they did look dangerous.

"Maybe with the goal we could have done better. Maybe we could have held the ball up front. We've just got to learn from it.

"We've got to learn to deal with that and defend with our lives."

Just like they did in the final stages of that memorable Selhurst Park win, when McShane was dominant at both ends of the pitch.

Shame he will not be there next time.