Fergie defends Rooney

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has hit out at Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim for overreacting to a show of petulance from Wayne Rooney.

Television replays proved Rooney shoved his hand into the face of Ben Haim in a flash of temper as the striker reacted to what he felt was a clear foul by the Israeli defender that had gone unpunished.

A crowd of Bolton players surrounded referee Dermot Gallagher as Ben Haim went to ground like he had been caught with a right hook from Lennox Lewis.

However, Ferguson believes Ben Haim was guilty of play acting as he said: “There was nothing in it at all.

“Having seen it on the monitor, I think the Bolton players that complained will be embarrassed because the boy made such a meal of it. I’m embarrassed for him.

“That type of thing is creeping into our game now but I thought the referee did well. He let the game go and both sides appreciated that.”

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce agreed his player had made the most of it, but still felt Rooney was lucky not to be sent off as contact was definitely made and had the striker’s indiscretion been spotted by the official he would almost certainly have been dismissed.

“I admit Tal went down rather too easily but there is no getting away from the fact Rooney pushed his hand into the lad’s face,” said Allardyce.

“He was lucky to get away with it because had the referee seen it, he would have had to send him off.”

As Ferguson knows only too well, Rooney will not have avoided punishment until the Football Association review the incident on Wednesday, once Gallagher’s report has been received.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has already served a three-match suspension this season after being picked out making an ugly challenge on Arsenal’s Ashley Cole by Soho Square officials, and Rooney will face the same punishment if guilt is proved.

With Louis Saha out until the middle of January and Ruud van Nistelrooy sidelined for even longer, Ferguson can do without having Rooney sidelined as well.

But at least if the worst does materialise, the Scot knows he can call on old stagers Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who maintained their recent fine form by getting their names on the scoresheet as United recorded their sixth win in seven games.

Giggs put United in front with an acrobatic ninth-minute volley after Cristiano Ronaldo had flicked on Gabriel Heinze’s cross.

Then, after the Welshman had wasted an outstanding chance to wrap up victory late on, Scholes clambered off his sick bed to smash home his seventh goal in as many games.