The league ever-present controversially received his marching orders for a professional foul in Monday's 3-0 League One home loss to Bolton.

With the punishment being a one-match ban, the Reds have elected not to appeal against the decision, although it means that Andersen will miss this weekend's FA Cup tie at Derby County.

Duff said: "He has been top-drawer. He will be a miss, although he might be thankful for the rest.

"It might actually be a good thing as he's played pretty much every minute he has been available and he will be able to recharge his batteries a little bit.

"So we might try and flip it into a positive, so it might be a good thing."

The Reds are appealing against Duff's red card in the previous game with Fleetwood Town, with the Oakwell chief admitting he has had a chat with EFL head of refereeing Mike Jones over several recent on-pitch decisions which he feels have gone against his side.

"I had a long conversation with Mike about recent refereeing decisions and it is what it is," he continued.

"It's not a case of me moaning. I rang him up for advice about something. I have known Mike a long time and used to have quite a few 'run-ins' with him when I was a player and he was a referee!

"He's good. I have only ever rang him once before, for an incident which happened at my last club and that was three years ago. So it is not like I am 'picking a fight.'

"I am pretty certain there isn't a vendetta when all the referees get together and go 'right, make sure we don't give them any decisions.'

"I think we have been on the wrong side of some harsh decisions. We have conceded five shots on target in the last three games and three have been penalties and with the other two, we played for eighty minutes with 10 men against a really good team."

"Do we feel a little bit hard done by at the minute? Yes. We have not had a penalty this year in the league which is a little bit bizarre."

Mads Andersen suspension can be a blessing in disguise for 'hard done by' Barnsley FC