Rooney waits for FA verdict after Bolton fracas
Wayne Rooney will have to wait until Wednesday at the earliest to find out if he faces punishment for shoving Tal Ben Haim in the face at Old Trafford yesterday.
Rival bosses Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce held contrasting views on the incident, with the United boss claiming the Bolton defender’s reaction was ‘an embarrassment’.
Allardyce agreed Ben Haim’s theatrical dive was over the top, but claimed contact had definitely been made – a view backed up by TV replays – and Rooney was fortunate to escape dismissal.
Referee Dermot Gallagher appeared to miss the incident and did not even award a free-kick against the United man, who was reacting to allegations from Ben Haim that he had dived attempting to win a free-kick.
Gallagher will make his observations known to the Football Association in his report of the game, but it will not be reviewed by Soho Square officials until Wednesday.
It means Rooney will be free to face Aston Villa tomorrow night but, if a violent conduct charge is brought, could miss the New Year’s Day trip to Middlesbrough.
Ferguson has already found himself on the wrong end of video evidence this season, losing Ruud van Nistelrooy for three games following the Dutchman’s lunge on Ashley Cole at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
And with van Nistelrooy sidelined for two months and Louis Saha out until the middle of January at the earliest, Ferguson cannot afford to lose another striker from his squad.
