Rio backs raging Rooney
For the second time in a week, the red mist descended on Rooney when he followed up his four-letter tirade on England duty in Belfast by getting himself sent off in Wednesday night's Champions League draw with Villarreal.
Even Alex Ferguson admitted Rooney left referee Kim Milton Nielsen little alternative other than to brandish the red card when the £27m striker sarcastically applauded his initial caution right under the Dane's nose.
The expulsion has brought predictable calls for Rooney to be brought into line amid fears of a further explosion of temper at Anfield on Sunday, when United tackle Liverpool and the former Everton forward is guaranteed a hot reception.
Ferdinand was on the wrong end of Rooney's foul mouth during the World Cup debacle in Northern Ireland.
Yet the defender insists he has no problem with the 19-year-old's behaviour and is adamant Rooney's behaviour has improved markedly since he joined the Red Devils 13 months ago.
He does not want his team-mate to stop living on the edge, Ferdinand believing such an attitude helps shape Rooney into the world-class player he is.
"Wayne's temperament is always there to be questioned because he plays on the edge," said Ferdinand. "That is just the way it is.
"It is a cliché but if you took that edge away from Wayne he wouldn't be the same player and I would rather have the Wayne Rooney we have now."
Ferdinand's stance might not go down too well with officials trying to clean up soccer's tarnished image, but it is met with agreement by United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who can also see the positive aspects of Rooney's aggressive instincts.
"You don't want to rein in Wayne's hunger and determination because it sometimes spurs him on and makes him play better when things are not going his way," said Fletcher.
"He has something inside him you do not want to take away because that is when he is at his best."
The extent to which Ferguson agrees with those sentiments will probably never be publicly discovered.
The United boss balanced his admission that Rooney deserved to get sent off with a thinly-veiled attack on Nielsen, the man who turned David Beckham into an English national hate figure by dismissing him during the 1998 World Cup clash with Argentina.
Tellingly, Ferguson refused to even offer Rooney the merest glance as he headed off the field.
And it would not be the first time United's long-serving manager had blasted a player within the sanctity of the dressing room while partially defending him to the outside world.
Although skipper Roy Keane was not around to offer the benefit of his wisdom and personal experience, having suffered similar demons during the early stages of his stellar career, Ferdinand revealed there are plenty of alternatives to the veteran Cork man.
"It doesn't matter whether you are a senior player or not, if something needs saying to a colleague it will be said," explained Ferdinand.
"If the boot was on the other foot and it was someone else who had been sent off, Wayne would be entitled to have his say as well.
"You can argue whether he deserved to be sent off or not but overall his temperament has improved no end since he joined us.
"He is a young player with amazing talent but all young players face difficult situations.
"You learn from the positive and the negative and I am sure Wayne will take this in his stride to the benefit of himself and Manchester United."
Ferguson will be anxious to avoid a repeat on Sunday, although it is virtually unthinkable the United boss would consider pulling Rooney out to save him from the baiting he is bound to receive.
Of equal concern to Ferguson is a squad which appears to be getting thinner by the day.
Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Quinton Fortune and Louis Saha had already been ruled out of the Liverpool encounter before United's squad headed to Spain.
Keane was quickly added to the list once the full extent of his hamstring problem was diagnosed, and now Gabriel Heinze will face an extended spell on the sidelines if scans confirm he suffered medial ligament damage during Wednesday night's tie.
Kieran Richardson is Heinze's obvious replacement, having operated at left-back throughout pre-season.
Although Richardson is now an England international, he has never previously started a Premiership game for the Red Devils.
Neither have Phil Bardsley, Gerard Pique and Giuseppe Rossi, but at least two of the youngsters are likely to be on the bench this weekend.
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