ALEX FERGUSON stood by Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese winger saw red.
Ronaldo told reporters he heard a ‘beep’ a split second before he handled Wayne Rooney’s corner and earned a second yellow card.
United boss Fergie said: “He thought he’d heard the referee’s whistle.
"He was trying to protect himself from the ball hitting his face, he may have got a little shove as well.”
Ref Howard Webb, who had already booked Ronaldo for a foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips, showed the Portuguese star a second yellow.
United, ahead through Rooney’s 42nd-minute goal, then had to hold out with 10 men for the final 22 minutes of the Manchester derby.
Fergie added: “I’m not going to get into the refereeing, we’d be here all day.
“Sometimes you have to overcome things and we have done that today, with 10 men we proved ourselves.”
Ronaldo’s dismissal means he is likely to be banned for Wednesday’s Carling Cup-tie against Blackburn at Old Trafford — when Fergie will be serving a touchline ban.
Yet City boss Mark Hughes said ref Webb had no choice.
Sparky said: “It’s a soft sending off, but it’s a second bookable offence, he had to go.
“I don’t know what motive he had for doing it. Why didn’t he head it?”
Ronaldo told reporters he heard a ‘beep’ a split second before he handled Wayne Rooney’s corner and earned a second yellow card.
United boss Fergie said: “He thought he’d heard the referee’s whistle.
"He was trying to protect himself from the ball hitting his face, he may have got a little shove as well.”
Ref Howard Webb, who had already booked Ronaldo for a foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips, showed the Portuguese star a second yellow.
United, ahead through Rooney’s 42nd-minute goal, then had to hold out with 10 men for the final 22 minutes of the Manchester derby.
Fergie added: “I’m not going to get into the refereeing, we’d be here all day.
“Sometimes you have to overcome things and we have done that today, with 10 men we proved ourselves.”
Ronaldo’s dismissal means he is likely to be banned for Wednesday’s Carling Cup-tie against Blackburn at Old Trafford — when Fergie will be serving a touchline ban.
Yet City boss Mark Hughes said ref Webb had no choice.
Sparky said: “It’s a soft sending off, but it’s a second bookable offence, he had to go.
“I don’t know what motive he had for doing it. Why didn’t he head it?”
