Sir Alex subbed fiery Rooney to avoid red-card
Wayne Rooney subbed after being booked v Everton
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Saturday, 25, Oct 2008 04:12
Sir Alex Ferguson admits he substituted Wayne Rooney as he feared the striker would be sent off in the 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
Marouane Fellaini cancelled out Darren Fletcher's opener to thwart the Premier League champions.
Rooney, playing against his boyhood club, was booked for clashing with Mikel Arteta. He reacted to boos from the home crowd by kissing his badge and pointing to the Manchester United fans, before Ferguson hurled him off.
The United boss was furious with referee Alan Wiley for giving the striker a yellow card on 71 minutes.
"I don't think the referee protected our players enough. In saying that we've only ourselves to blame (for not winning)," the Scot told MUTV.
"I just didn't think he gave our players enough protection. I may be churlish in that in the sense that we've dropped two points. The referee has to make sure the product is good
"The way the referee was behaving I feared he may be sent off, for no reason of course. Just the way the crowd were reacting in getting him booked."
Meanwhile, David Moyes hailed Fellaini as a future Everton great after he headed in Phil Neville's cross in the second-half.
It was the midfielder's second goal since his £15 million switch from Standard Liege on deadline day.
Moyes praised the Belgian for lifting his side from their stuttering start to the season.
"He is a young player who, I have no doubt, in the future you will here an awful lot more about," the Scot said.
"He has come into a team which, if we're being honest, is struggling at this present moment in time.
"We're asking him to come in and make that big a difference. But he has been doing well and the player deserves credit."