United Rant

Manchester United will not appeal Darren Fletcher’s yellow card for diving because there’s no scope within UEFA’s rules to do so. The United midfielder, who missed last season’s Champions League final through suspension, picked up a booking in last night’s draw with CSKA Moscow. Replays showed the Scot was clearly fouled.

“It was a penalty,” Fletcher said.

“I turned and the lad swept my feet away. I didn’t try to fall, he just swept my feet away.

“When the referee blew his whistle, my first thought was, ‘Great it’s a penalty, we can get back in the game’ and then he started walking towards me with the yellow card and I couldn’t believe it.”

Sir Alex Ferguson called referee Olegario Benquerenca’s decision the worst he had seen in more than 50 years in the game.

“You can’t appeal a yellow card – it is crucial because to miss an important game because of that is unfair. They should look at that but they won’t,” the United manager said.

In last season’s semi-final Fletcher, suspended for the 2008 Champions League final following a red card against Arsenal, appeared to get the ball before felling Cesc Fabregas.

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