Harry revels in Pompey's win as United rage

IF he had chosen to follow the sour example of the two clubs who have dominated the Premiership since its inception, Harry Redknapp could have highlighted the shocking tackles that put his most expensive player out of the match and might have severely injured another in a titanic struggle with Manchester United at Fratton Park.

Instead, the Portsmouth boss shrugged off the hazards and pitfalls of the physically-intimidating football of today's game.

He refused to condemn the dubious antics of United's Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes who should both have been removed from action by red cards before half-time and revelled instead in his own side's magnificent display.

Long before the goals that confirmed Pompey's exceptional triumph over Alex Ferguson's multi-million euro stars, Scholes had caught Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara with a knee-high challenge that left the £2.3m signing a limping passenger until his substitution in the 32nd minute. And before the break, £30m Rooney clattered into the back of Nigel Quashie with the kind of affront that often does ruinous damage to Achilles tendons.

There was no disguising the distress of both Pompey players at the time and although Rooney was booked by referee Neale Barry, Quashie would certainly have been on his way down the tunnel had his retaliatory arm-swing contacted the teenager.

Redknapp would not even have mentioned either incident, so happy was he with the win, secured by David Unsworth's 52nd-minute penalty and Aiyegbeni Yakubu's 71st-minute sixth goal of the season.

It destroyed United's remaining sense of triumph from their battle with Arsenal. But pressed for an opinion, he said: "Well, yes, he (Rooney) is an aggressive little lad or big lad, rather and Kamara caught a nasty one, too. He could be out for a while. But Alex is a mate of mine and I don't want to stir up any trouble."

It was all doom and gloom from Ferguson who called the defeat "a kick in the teeth."

Suddenly United's season is in need of repair again with Wednesday's Champions League clash with Sparta Prague and the following Sunday's Manchester derby major assignments.

When are they not?