Rooney admits kick was too Mutch but hits out at Souness and Tyler for criticism

By Riath Al-Samarrai

PUBLISHED: 17:36 EST, 24 November 2013 | UPDATED: 19:25 EST, 24 November 2013

Wayne Rooney has criticised television commentator Martin Tyler and pundit Graeme Souness for their reactions to the controversial incident involving the Manchester United striker in Sunday's match at Cardiff.

Rooney escaped a red card early on in the 2-2 draw when he kicked Jordon Mutch before lashing out at the Cardiff midfielder with his left hand as his run was blocked off.

The England striker, who was only shown a yellow card, admitted it was a bad tackle but felt the television coverage was unfair, highlighting a later incident in the match which saw Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel raise his hands to the face of United's Marouane Fellaini as the duo jostled in the area.

On the scoresheet: Wayne Rooney put United infront, minutes after being booked

On the scoresheet: Wayne Rooney put United infront, minutes after being booked

Coming together: Rooney clashes with Jordon Mutch and was booked

Coming together: Rooney clashes with Jordon Mutch and was booked

Rooney tweeted on Sunday night: 'Just watched game back. I agree mine was bad tackle and ref dealt with it. And Martin Tyler didn't shut up about it all game.

'Then someone slaps someone in face and he doesn't speak a word about it. I like Martin but that's poor from him

'Sourness the rules are u kick out u should be off. Souness medel gives left hook he's done his job. Haha brilliant.'

Sky Sports pundit Souness hit out at Rooney for the incident, claiming the striker has an 'exploding head' and insisted he should have been sent off.

Hitting out: Wayne Rooney takes to Twitter to defend his tackle

Hitting out: Wayne Rooney takes to Twitter to defend his tackle

Making his point: Rooney was critical of Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler

Making his point: Rooney was critical of Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler

Now for Souness: Rooney turns his attentions to Sky pundit Graeme Souness

Now for Souness: Rooney turns his attentions to Sky pundit Graeme Souness

But manager David Moyes was quick to leap to Rooney's defence, he said: 'I thought Mutch runs across his path and runs down the line of the ball and I think Wayne's half in motion. I don't think it is anymore than a booking that's for sure.'

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay took no issue with the decision, but Souness said: 'He should be off, there's no argument. Why the referee has given him a yellow card is beyond me.

'He's got a great view of it, he's keeping up with the incident all the time. I don't know what Wayne is thinking of. He's got an exploding head, we know that. That's just borne out of frustration.

Kicking out: Rooney boots Jordon Mutch with the game still goalless

Kicking out: Rooney boots Jordon Mutch with the game still goalless

Too Mutch: Rooney's reaction appeared overly aggressive given the innocuous tangle with the Cardiff man

Too Mutch: Rooney's reaction appeared overly aggressive given the innocuous tangle with the Cardiff man

'If he's booked him he's seen something. If he sees that it's a sending off.'

Mackay said he thought the referee made the correct decision on the flashpoint in the last minute between Medel and Fellaini, he said: 'Well, he is 5ft 2in and Fellaini is 6ft 7in so he is up to his belly button, so his arm just about reached his shoulder. I think overall looking at it the referee got it right on both counts.'

United looked set to win despite a patchy performance after goals from Rooney and Patrice Evra, but Kim Bo-Kyung levelled in stoppage time.

The result means United, who are currently on a run of 10 games unbeaten in all competitions, now sit seven points off the pace in the Premier League and Moyes admitted his team cannot afford to keep dropping points.

In a heap: Rooney lands on top of Mutch after the kick that landed him in the referee's book

In a heap: Rooney lands on top of Mutch after the kick that landed him in the referee's book

Lucky boy: Rooney, though, escaped with a yellow card

Lucky boy: Rooney, though, escaped with a yellow card

He said: 'I am disappointed. It was similar to against Southampton (a 1-1 draw on October 19) where we had the game in our control with a minute to go and conceded from a set-piece and it cost us.

'I thought we should have played better. We did not have a lot of rhythm in the second half but this has been a tough place to come for teams.

'We were on the back of having players on international duty so we would probably have taken a result however it came, but I would have liked it to be better. It wasn't to be.'

Coming together: Gary Medel and Marouane Fellaini tussle at the corner

Coming together: Gary Medel and Marouane Fellaini tussle at the corner

Still going: Medel looks to get an advantage over Fellaini

Still going: Medel looks to get an advantage over Fellaini

Take that! Medel appears to hit out at Fellaini but the incident goes unpunished

Take that! Medel appears to hit out at Fellaini but the incident goes unpunished

Moyes admitted he is 'unsure' whether Robin van Persie, who missed the game with a groin injury, or Nemanja Vidic will be fit for the Bayer Leverkusen tie on Wednesday.

Mackay said: 'Our first-half performance was arguably the most complete performance of the season so far in the way we played, and the belief we had to play against the champions and play like that so I was delighted with the performance from first minute to last.

'I take the work ethic as a given but what I loved more was the belief they show in their ability to work their way up the pitch with the ball. That is the confidence they have.' 

 

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That was a clear red card and Rooney should have been suspended for 3 matches . A blatant kick by a deluded idiot.

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Looks like Mr Riley have to make YET ANOTHER Call,this time to Cardiff manager.Rooney is England's own Suarez.

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Martin Tyler hates United. I can't stand Sky's ABU punditry.

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Rules are for everybody pure red card.

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The refereeing this week and last week has been appaling. How many clubs have dropped points due to bad refereeing decisions. With the exception of howard webb and one or two others, the rest are just down right inconsistent and make biased decisions, Ramiers penalty would not have been awarded at the Hawthorns, Mirallis would have been sent off at Anfield and rooney would have seen red if he wasn't England's hero.

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Rooney is way OVERATED!!! Average player

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Rooney should have been given a red card but refs are still doing as they are told by Ferguson as he`s involved in the club. Rooney is a disgrace to English football & shouldn`t play for England. He thinks he`s better than anyone else, he`s not.

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the ref bottled it...plain and simple.....if this was a European match or a world cup fixture, WR would have been taking an early bath...his "big" name wouldn't (and shouldn't have mattered). what he did was a red card offence...and then you get people like Gary Neville (an England coach for that matter) spewing his usual tripe about how Rooney's name saved him from a red card....it should not be condoned. he is a fat, hot-headed, arrogant so and so who thinks he is better than he is....he has form for this...he has done it before and would do it again, and when its in a Champions League Q\S-final, or a 2nd round match in Rio next year, and WR does this, and rightfully gets a red card, we'll see what Gary Neville has to say then........go figure

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I must say, I also got bored with Tyler harping on and on about the incident. "Move on Martin" should have been squawked down his earphones.

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Sourness, broke a guy's jaw once and set out to get him in a european game. Some of the dirtiest tackles I have ever saw have been done by Souness. Short memory should should look at himself before he opens his gob.

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