Jerome Thomas has said sorry to his Albion team-mates for the red card at Arsenal that will see him banned for the next three matches.

The former Gunners winger was sent off on his return to the Emirates Stadium last night for lashing out at Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere.

The red card proved the turning point in Albion’s 2-0 Carling Cup defeat.

Thomas told boss Roberto Di Matteo he reacted to comments from Wilshere but goalkeeper Dean Kiely revealed: “He shook all of our hands and apologised.

“From a negative situation that is a decent reaction, because I have seen similar situations where the person involved has cowered away in the corner and hoped nobody would say anything.

“He didn’t really elaborate but he was obviously disappointed because it led to him being sent off and he felt he had let us down a bit.

“But fair-play to him for his reaction when we all came in.”

Thomas refused to comment after the loss, which ended Di Matteo’s unbeaten start in charge of the Baggies.

But he told the Hawthorns head coach he had retaliated after an ‘exchange of words’ with Wilshere after the pair contested a tackle.

Di Matteo had no complaints with the red card but was unhappy with the highly-rated Wilshere’s role in the incident.

The Italian said: “It was a red card. My player went to shake the Arsenal player’s hand and he refused, and he reacted.

“There was an exchange of words and then he reacted. I do know what was said but it’s not important.

“I’m disappointed Wilshere didn’t accept his hand.”