Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has apologised to his teammates and manager Louis van Gaal for his sending off against West Ham, telling the press that the referee also got the decision right, as reported by the Daily Express.
The England captain was shown a straight red card for chasing down winger Stewart Downing and seemingly kicking him without much intention to get the ball.
This put a dampener on what was the tenth anniversary of Rooney’s debut for the Old Trafford club, although the striker did open the scoring against Sam Allardyce’s side.
His 59th minute dismissal could have cost Man Utd a key game, as West Ham pressed for an equaliser, only to be denied when Kevin Nolan’s late strike was chalked off for offside.
Having apologised to his teammates, he was also thankful that Van Gaal accepted his explanation for the rash tackle, revealing that Downing was simply too quick for him.
“It was probably the right decision,” Rooney said.
“I saw the West Ham player making a counter-attack and I tried to break up the play, but I just misjudged it.
“I expect people to say it’s a sign of the old temper flaring up again but I was trying to break up the play. It was a dangerous situation in that they were trying to break on us and I have just misjudged it, simple as that.
“I have no complaints. I understand it. I knew at the time that I misjudged it. It is a red card and I don’t think it will benefit anyone to appeal against the decision.
“Everyone knew I was in the wrong.
“It’s always tough against 11 men when you are a man down, especially when they are throwing a lot of balls into the box as they were doing, so I am grateful that we held out.
“I haven’t absolutely volleyed the lad. I have tried to trip him up and, to be fair to him, he got further away from me and that is why my leg is straighter than it should have been. As he pushed the ball away, my leg has straightened out and that is obviously why the referee has deemed it as a red card.”
