Rooney: Red Card Was Right

Wayne Rooney admits it was "the right decision" by referee Lee Mason to send him off in Manchester United's 2-1 win over West Ham on Saturday.

The captain was shown the red card just before the hour-mark for a high challenge on Stewart Downing as the Hammers midfielder threatened to break clear from his own half.

Rooney told reporters afterwards that he apologised to his team-mates for his error of judgement and was grateful to them for holding out for a vital victory.

"It was probably the right decision," declared Rooney, who also confirmed he will not be appealing the dismissal. "I saw the West Ham player making a counter-attack and I tried to break up the play, but I just misjudged it.

"I didn't absolutely volley the lad. I tried to trip him up and, to be fair to him, he got further away from me and that's why my leg is straighter than it should have been. As he pushed the ball away, my leg straightened out and that is obviously why the referee deemed it as a red card."

When asked if he apologised to his team-mates after the match, the captain replied: "Of course I did. I think everyone knew [I was in the wrong]. It’s always tough against 11 men when you are a man down, especially when they are throwing a lot of balls into the box as West Ham were doing, so I am grateful that we held out."

The red card now means Rooney will be out of action for all of October bar international duty with England.

"That [missing three games] is the most disappointing thing. It is hard to take and I am obviously gutted," he added in reference to having to now sit out the matches against former club Everton, West Brom and Chelsea.

"It helps that the England games are coming up and the training here is really good. It's about getting my fitness up, so I just have to make sure I train well and are ready for when I come back."