Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the calls for an investigation into stamping allegations levelled at Wayne Rooney during the Reds' Champions League match with Aalborg on Wednesday.
Rooney is alleged to have trodden on the chest of the Danish team's Kasper Risgard, but escaped punishment from the referee.
Sir Alex said yesterday that Rooney should have been sent off for the offence which he described as:
"horrendous"
Ferguson is noted amongst Premier League managers for his sportsmanship and his sense of fair play, and was highly critical of Rooney, calling him:
"an animal who deserves to be punished with a lengthy ban."
Only last month, Sir Alex received an FA punishment for his comments towards referee Mike Dean during United's clash with Hull City at Old Trafford on 1 November. That day, Ferguson claimed Tigers' defender Michael Turner should have been red-carded for a second bookable challenge, although, crucially, it wasn't a stamping offence.
The Scot, 76, was given a 2-match touchline ban, and fined 10 minutes wages.
After this latest incident, he said:
"I like to be fair, and players need to be punished whoever they play for, even if it's Manchester United. I pride myself on being totally impartial, and, with that in mind, my own players deserve to be banned just like those of any other team."
