Manchester United think tank is supposed to be brilliant with mind games and that is why they presented new team captain Wayne Rooney as the best man in the world apart from being the finest ball roller. When you are hyping someone so high, it is evident you would also ask him to accept his mistakes before it grows into a controversy. Yes, we are talking about last United’s game with West Ham United that happened to be the second triumph for the Gaal, yet match got the headlines not for this feat but coz Rooney got the Red Card in the game for valid reason. It was 59th minute of the game when Rooney lunged Stewart Downing and referee shown him the severest game penalty, but unlike always, Red Devils skipper decided not to appeal against this decision perhaps he also said in public that it was his mistake hence punishment was correct. This is rarely seen these days where an in-form captain of a shaking side accepts this but many experts are calling it a great move to win fans confidence in new captain and it would surely lift his image in the eyes of the whole world. But, on the other side, there are many who are taking it as the sportsmanship from the English captain. In any way, match proved to be a good on board but bad on discipline.
Actually, Rooney’s lunge was not the only low point of the game as there was another incident where Luke Shaw apparently head-butted off the ball by Diafra Sakho but since it was almost ignored by everyone that time, referee took the note of it after the match and decided to slap a retrospective punishment. After winning the game, 28-year-old captain said, “Yeah, of course I did (while apologizing his mistake), No. I understand it. I knew at the time that I misjudged it.
“It is a red card and I doubt it will benefit anyone to appeal against the decision. It was probably the right decision. I saw the West Ham player making a counterattack and I tried to break-up the play, but I just misjudged it. I think everyone knew, so I am just grateful that the lads were able to hold on.”
He further added, “I expect people to say that, but at the end of the day, I was trying to break up the play. It was a dangerous situation in that they were trying to break on us and I have just misjudged it, simple as that, but I have no complaints.”