The former Hamilton skipper was dismissed just five minutes into the Pittodrie match after he was adjudged to have denied Killie frontman Eamonn Brophy a goalscoring chance.

But TV pictures appear to show Devlin’s former Accies team-mate going down easy and now the Dons have decided to challenge referee Craig Thomson’s decision.

They said in a statement: “The club can confirm they have submitted an appeal to the SFA for the red card given to Michael Devlin during the Ladbrokes Premiership match against Kilmarnock on Saturday.”

Michael Devlin was sent off after just five minutes of Aberdeen's home game against Kilmarnock - and the Dons are now appealing the red card. Picture: SNS Group

Boss Derek McInnes was critical of Thomson’s display as his side went on to suffer their first defeat to Killie in six years as they slumped 2-0.

Brophy’s free-kick gave Kilmarnock the lead just before half-time but McInnes felt the set-piece should never have been awarded after Stephen O’Donnell appeared to handle the ball in the build-up to the visitors’ set-piece award.

He said: “We are disappointed with some of the decisions. It is tough when you go down to 10 men so early on.

“Rightly or wrongly, whether he has deemed it as the last man, it is debatable to say the least.

“We conceded a very good goal from their point of view in terms of the quality of the free-kick. But the build-up to the goal, we feel really aggrieved by.

“It is different if my player plays the ball against O’Donnell and it has hit his arm. But it is actually his bad control which meant he took it on his arm. The momentum pushed it forward into his path.

“That should have been deemed a handball. And my first thought was that Graeme Shinnie won the ball when Craig Thomson blew for the free-kick.”

Unless Aberdeen succeed with their appeal, Devlin will be banned for the September 15 trip to St Johnstone.

Aberdeen to appeal Michael Devlin red card against Kilmarnock