Manchester United manager David Moyes has defended Wayne Rooney after the striker appeared to kick Cardiff midfielder Jordan Mutch in yesterday’s 2-2 draw.
Rooney was given a yellow card following the incident and then went on to put United ahead – incensing the Welsh crowd.
Despite replays showing Rooney lashing out at Mutch the United boss believes the referee got the decision spot on.
“The boy (Mutch) runs across his path and there’s a bit of a tussle, but I didn’t think it deserved any more than a yellow card,” Moyes told Sky Sports.
“I don’t think it was a lashing-out, I think it was more that he felt hard done-by with the boy running across his path with the ball.
“I didn’t think it was a lash out to cause any harm, I think it was more of a disappointment that he lost the ball.”
After the match Rooney took to twitter and admitted the tackle was bad.
“Just watched game back. I agree mine was bad tackle and ref dealt with it,” Rooney said.
Cardiff managed to cancel out Rooney’s opener after former united man Frazer Campbell ruthlessly slotted past David De Gea.
However, United once again edged in front after Patrice Evra lost his marker and headed home from a corner.
United were without key men Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie for the trip and in the second half began to falter resulting in a late equalizer from Korean Kim Bo-kyung.
Moyes was left lamenting his side’s poor concentration and the referee’s decision not to take action against Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel who appeared to hit Marouane Fellaini in the face.
“If he slaps someone in the face, then you’d expect some action to be taken,” he said.
“We actually lost our concentration because we were set up for the freekick, the referee then spends a minute or so talking to everyone and then sets it back up.
“We still should do better but it gave them two bites of the cherry as they did actually deliver the first ball.
“It gave (Peter) Whittingham another chance to get his sighters in and he certainly put in a good ball.”
Image courtesy of tsutomo takasu, with thanks
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
