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Angry Martinez claims Rooney should have seen red

Wayne Rooney had an eventful day at Wigan © PA Photos

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Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has claimed Wayne Rooney should have been sent off during Manchester United's 4-0 victory at the DW Stadium.

Rooney caught James McCarthy in the face with his elbow during the opening minutes of Saturday's clash, and Martinez is angry referee Mark Clattenburg failed to show the England man a red card.

"I saw the incident clearly and the referee did as well because he gave the free-kick,'' said Martinez. "Once you give a free-kick it is quite clear that it is a red card. When you look at the replay, it is quite clear he catches James McCarthy in the face with his elbow.

"If one of my players had done that, I would think he was very lucky to stay on the pitch. It is a big call in the game. It is unfortunate because the referee saw it but he didn't feel it was a red card. It was not because he was Wayne Rooney. It was an incident in the game. That is it.''

Predictably, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson took an alternate view, feeling Clattenburg made the correct call.

"I have had a chance to see it,'' said the Scot. "There is nothing in it. But, what will happen, the question has been asked and because it is Wayne Rooney the press will raise a campaign to get him hung by Tuesday or electrocuted or something like that. It is unbelievable. Watch the press. It will be interesting to see it.''

The chances of Rooney being punished - a red card would have meant him missing Tuesday's trip to Chelsea, the Liverpool encounter at Anfield next Sunday and an FA Cup sixth-round tie against Arsenal or Leyton Orient - appear non-existent as Clattenburg would have to tell the FA he did not see what happened. And, as he sought him out at half-time, Martinez knows Clattenburg did.

"I saw the referee at half-time,'' said the Wigan chief. "He said he felt it was not a red card and that Rooney had just clipped McCarthy.''

Clattenburg has a chequered past with Ferguson, who was fined after an angry exchange with the north-east official at Bolton following a clash between Patrice Evra and Kevin Davies. This time, though, it was Martinez who felt harshly dealt with considering Paul Scholes also escaped unpunished when he clattered through the back of McCarthy, whom the Wigan boss felt United had targeted.

"You could see what Manchester United wanted to do,'' he said. They wanted to impose themselves on James McCarthy. Unfortunately, they got away with it. There was also a very bad challenge from Paul Scholes on McCarthy. Again it was another free-kick that was not punished with a yellow card.

"If we are going to get a result against Manchester United, you need the big calls to go your way. That did not happen.''

Ferguson was hoping to have Ryan Giggs back from a hamstring injury and Michael Owen available following a groin strain for Saturday's match. In the end neither made it, and Giggs only has an outside chance of being involved at Stamford Bridge.

"Hopefully Ryan will train tomorrow,'' said Ferguson. "He is coming on.''

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