ADAMA TRAORE has had his appeal for wrongful dismissal rejected by the Football Association, leaving Garry Monk left to focus on the team ahead of Saturday’s home date with Queens Park Rangers.

Traore was dismissed by referee James Linington at Villa Park inside just four minutes for his charge and challenge on Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane on Tuesday night.

Monk felt the tackle was an attempted block on a slippery surface and that it should have been overturned so an appeal was lodged.

Traore will now miss the games against QPR, Aston Villa next Tuesday in the League Cup and then at Fulham a week on Saturday because of the three-match suspension.

To further frustrate Middlesbrough, less than an hour earlier they heard that Henri Lansbury’s red card – for a cynical tackle on Marvin Johnson from behind – in the same game was overturned and he will not face a three-match ban.

Monk, keen to build on an unbeaten three-match run in the Championship, does not want to dwell on the incident too much and will continue the preparations for the visit of Rangers.

Speaking before the decision, Monk said: “The whole point is never about one player, it’s about the whole squad. We felt it would be a bit of justice so we appealed. But it is not about one player. You have to be ready for it.

“We showed in that game at Villa we were ready for going down to ten men and we needed to carry that out like we did. The game plan changed and we dealt with it really well. There was fantastic maturity because of the young players on the pitch.

“The whole thing is a work in progress here, individually the same too. They have to try to fulfil the potential, and different elements to the guys.

“We work on those as well as the collective. We are trying to improve everyone and everything. Adama and all of the others. Their attitude has been fantastic. Hopefully we will see the end product and hopefully we can put into the games.”

Monk reported no other fresh problems ahead of the game with QPR. Martin Braithwaite is training again but will not be considered for this weekend’s game, while Rudy Gestede is still recovering from a minor operation on a dead leg.

Monk wants his players to continue in the same frame of mind that has delivered four points against Bolton and Aston Villa this week when they return to action at the Riverside. Middlesbrough have collected seven points from their three home dates so far.

The Boro boss said: “We want it to be a fortress straightaway. We want to win as many games as possible and make sure we pick up points along the way.

“We have had a good start at the Riverside, hopefully we are starting to get our away form on track. Now we need to go back to the Riverside and make sure it’s a place where teams come and find it difficulty. We need to continue to show that.”