Television replays proved Rooney shoved his hand into the face of Tal Ben Haim a minute before the interval.

Allardyce said: “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.

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

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson countered: “The Bolton player should be embarrassed by that because there was nothing in it at all.”

Kevin Keegan defended former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler for his goal celebrations as Manchester City went down 2-1 at third-placed Everton.

Fowler scored an equaliser and was then booked after racing behind the goal and down the touchline smacking his hand on top of his head.

City manager Keegan said: “Robbie got his goal and enjoyed it. If you don’t enjoy scoring goals, what is the point.

“I have just had a conversation with the police and they have said they will not be taking any action.”

Damien Duff made sure that Chelsea retained their five-point lead over Arsenal - but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is not interested in how their title rivals are shaping up.

Wenger insists he is only focussing on his team and they also claimed maximum points yesterday by beating Fulham 2-0 thanks to goals from Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.

“What is important for us is to focus on ourselves and our quality and we don’t have to worry about anybody else,” he said.

“It is too far away from the end of the season to speculate on a slip by Chelsea.

“I do not worry about the results of the other teams. We worry about the way we play.”

Republic of Ireland international Duff is relishing life at the summit after scoring the only goal of the game in the defeat of Aston Villa.

“We are loving it at the top, it is the place everyone wants to be and we’re not feeling the pressure,” he told Sky’s Premiership Plus.

“It was tough. We always seem to struggle against them but it is a massive win for us.”

Southampton look set to sell England striker James Beattie following his substitution 16 minutes from time in the 0-0 draw against Charlton.

New assistant manager Jim Smith said: “We want to keep James as long as we can.

“He’s a little bit short of match sharpness but you would have to speak to the chairman about the fact that possibly selling someone would give us the ammunition to bring in the three, four or five quality players we require.

“That might have to be the avenue we unfortunately have to go down.”

Steve Bruce admitted hamstring injuries for David Dunn and Emile Heskey had taken the shine off Birmingham’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough.

“The disappointment of the whole afternoon is that David Dunn has done his hamstring again, while it looks like Emile has done his hamstring again,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s going to cause us problems.”

Birmingham boss Bruce said he was ‘tired’ of discussing Blackburn’s offer for midfielder Robbie Savage.

He said: “The offer we have been given by Blackburn is nowhere near enough.”

Andy Todd came back to haunt Graeme Souness with the equaliser for Blackburn to prevent Newcastle’s manager enjoying a triumphant return to his old club.

Souness and Todd fell out after a bust-up when the Blackburn fans’ player of the season was left on the bench against Leeds in April.

Following the 2-2 draw Blackburn manager Mark Hughes said: “It was a great finish and he could even have scored a winner with a header late on.”

Tottenham recorded their fifth straight win by beating Norwich 2-0 – and manager Martin Jol is delighted with their progress.

He said: “We have a terrific bunch of players, and it is all about a good mentality and trying to play in a way you believe in.

“We believe in playing good football, from the back and the midfield through to the strikers.”

Portsmouth defender Linvoy Primus scored his first goal in the top flight to increase Crystal Palace’s troubles at the foot of the table.

Palace have taken two points from a possible 21 and manager Iain Dowie said: “I am sick and tired of getting nothing out of games we should have got something out of.

“It is for us to get some points. That will be done by standing together. I thought we played with great endeavour and great hunger.”

Jamie Carragher predicted Liverpool will push on for a Champions League place in the new year after their 5-0 demolition job on West Brom.

Man of the match John Arne Riise set Liverpool on their way by volleying home a Steven Gerrard pass and Albion went down to 10 men when Cosmin Contra was sent off for handball.

Russell Hoult saved Milan Baros’ resulting penalty but Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Gerrard struck to put the game beyond the Baggies after the break and Riise, with his second, and Luis Garcia rubbed salt in the wounds for only Liverpool’s second away win in the Barclays Premiership this season.

Carragher is expecting the Reds, who are sixth, to mount a serious top four bid in 2005.

“We’re a few points behind the top four but I’m confident we will sort out the league form in the second half of the season,” the England defender told Sky Sports.

“We’ve had injuries but we’re getting a few back now and I’m sure the manager will be looking to add a few players during the January transfer window.”